According to the phase 1 results of the "Water Risks Project" announced by the Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSD Türkiye), in the Kızılırmak Basin, where agricultural water demand is expected to increase 1.5 times by 2050, an average of 30 percent water saving was achieved in the Delice district project area with drip irrigation method in wheat production.

According to the statement made by BCSD, water risks, which are increasing all over the world with global warming, threaten agricultural production, sustainability of water resources and thus food security. The sustainable use of water resources is becoming a national security issue for countries facing water risks. Türkiye, which experienced the third warmest winter of the last 50 years with temperatures above seasonal norms, is among the countries facing water crisis.

According to long-term climate change projections, water resources in Türkiye are expected to decrease by approximately 25 percent.

In Türkiye, which is located in a semi-arid climate zone, the effective use of water resources is becoming more and more important. In this context, the "Water Risks Project", organised by BCSD Türkiye and Ankara University Water Management Institute with the main sponsorship of Ülker and the support sponsorship of Brisa, IC İçtaş İnşaat, PepsiCo, Sütaş, Toros Tarım and TürkTraktör, aims to raise awareness on water efficiency and water footprint in agriculture. The phase 1 report of the project, which was launched in Central Anatolia in May 2022, was shared with the public.

The studies within the scope of the project were carried out under the coordination of Ankara University Water Management Institute Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökşen Çapar, Prof. Dr. Süleyman Kodal, Prof. Dr. Y. Ersoy Yıldırım, Prof. Dr. Yeşim Ahi, Assoc. Assist. Çiğdem Coşkun Dilcan and Assoc. Assist. Dr Tolga Pilevneli conducted the study. Within the scope of the project, which is in line with the issues included in the National Water Plan published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, trainings on "Modern Irrigation Methods" and "Fertiliser Use" were given to 100 farmers in Çerikli town of Delice district of Kırıkkale province in order to prevent excessive irrigation and prevent application failures.

"Achieving 30 per cent water saving is a very important progress"

Ebru Dildar Edin, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of BCSD Türkiye, pointed out that the methods followed in the fight against the climate crisis are insufficient for the protection of water resources, and said: "In this period of the third warmest winter of the last 50 years, our biggest concern is the decrease in water resources. As BCSD Türkiye, we express at every opportunity that we will fight against the climate crisis with the current studies carried out, and we are working with all our strength to put forward creative and innovative solutions. In our country, more than 70 percent of water resources are used in agriculture, and increasing water efficiency has a key role in ensuring the amount of water needed for agricultural activities in sustainable manner. With the Water Risks Project, we have put forward research with important outputs for the efficient use of water resources with sustainable methods. In our research, we have seen the importance of the application of modern irrigation methods in agriculture for water security. In the project implementation carried out in Delice district of Kırıkkale province, it is a very important achievement to achieve 20 percent product efficiency and 30 percent water saving for wheat produced by applying the drip irrigation method. The fact that farmers in the region have received training on modern irrigation methods has also increased awareness. Now we will make every effort to popularise modern irrigation methods."

Mete Buyurgan, CEO of Ülker, pointed out that it is of great importance to promote sustainable agricultural practices compatible with climate change. Buyurgan provided the following information: "While working with a waste-free company model and long-term sustainability goals, we attach great importance to contributing to the sustainability of agricultural production and supporting projects to promote proper agricultural practices. For this reason, we became the main sponsor of SKD Türkiye's Water Risks Project, which aims to analyze the impact of climate change on water resources and develop efficient irrigation strategies in agriculture. The water-saving and product efficiency results in the first phase of the project showed that we are moving in the right direction. With this project, we aim to raise farmers' awareness of water use and contribute to the sustainable future of our country."

BCSD Türkiye is also an important stakeholder of the "National Water Efficiency Mobilisation" initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry across the country. BCSD Türkiye will support the National Water Efficiency Campaign with its activities on the sustainable use of water resources.

Highlights of the report

The key findings of the report, which is an important source for sustainable agricultural practices, are as follows:

Çerikli town of Delice district of Kırıkkale province, selected within the scope of the project, has an annual rainfall of 250-300 mm and is located in the Kızılırmak Basin, one of the least rainfall basins of our country.

Within the scope of the project, it was aimed to increase agricultural water efficiency by applying drip irrigation methods in wheat and silage corn production in Çerikli town in the 2021-2022 season.

In the wheat trial, a 20 percent higher yield (264 kg/da) was obtained in the project application using the drip irrigation method and optimum irrigation program compared to the farmer application using traditional methods and sprinkler irrigation method.

In the maize for silage trial, a comparison was made with the treatment where a drip irrigation system was installed but the frequency of irrigation was left to the farmer. Accordingly, it was determined that 23% and 3% higher yields (4.900 kg/da and 4.100 kg/da) were obtained in the enterprises with 70 cm and 140 cm (respectively) lateral spacing in the project application where drip irrigation method and optimum irrigation program were used.

In the project area, 30 percent water saving in wheat and up to 45 percent water saving in maize production have resulted in better yields, which points to the success of the project.

It is known that the dissemination of modern irrigation methods is very important for ensuring water efficiency in agriculture in Türkiye. Within the scope of the project, intensive fieldwork was carried out and one-to-one communication was established with the farmers. In this process, it was observed that farmers need to be informed about training, awareness-raising, and incentive mechanisms in the implementation of modern irrigation methods.

In order to mitigate the effects of climate change, protect environmental health and realise sustainable production, initiatives should be taken to review and improve existing production models and to switch to smart agricultural practices.

Within the framework of integrated water management approach, it is important for water security to establish solution-oriented management models with the participation and cooperation of the public, private sector, academia, non-governmental organisations and all water users.

 

Source: Anadolu Ajansı