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New “good” farming methods and applied sciences, like drip irrigation and pest traps, are serving to farmers in Uzbekistan revolutionize their greenhouses, save water and improve their crop yields and incomes. ©FAO/Guzal Fayzieva
Large, flavorful tomatoes ripen in Odina Sattorova’s yard greenhouse in Uzbekistan’s Ferghana Valley. Their good form, wealthy color and clean texture – simple indicators of high quality – are the results of many days of intensive work within the greenhouse. Odina, who has labored in greenhouses caring for seedlings and serving to harvest grapes since she was younger, was used to this sort of arduous work. Her household relied on agriculture to earn their residing.
But this now 43-year-old girl farmer has realized that there are new “good” farming methods that cut back labour and markedly improve productiveness and profitability. The details communicate for themselves. Today, Odina grows about 400 kilograms of tomatoes per week throughout the harvest season, whereas earlier than, she hardly produced even 120 kilograms. Along with the amount, the standard of the product has additionally improved. The fruits are persistently clean, massive and extra flavorful than the earlier ones.
Odina realized to make the most of these transformative methods by the challenge, “Smart Farming for the Future Generation”, applied by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). With monetary assist from the Republic of Korea, this challenge was launched in 2021 in Uzbekistan and Viet Nam to introduce new rising strategies and instruments that lower water consumption and labour, whereas growing yields, crop high quality and incomes.
Simple but progressive farming applied sciences and methods save pure sources whereas growing incomes
The challenge launched easy improvements in water administration, pest management and greenhouse enhancements, reminiscent of the usage of a plastic shade web, as an alternative of the normal clay cowl, on prime of the greenhouse to maintain it from overheating. The new plastic movie isn’t solely extra sturdy but it surely additionally absorbs ultraviolet radiation and prevents condensation on the within of the greenhouse.
Of all of the instruments launched by the challenge, Odina considers the drip irrigation system probably the most helpful and efficient one. The irrigation system features a fertilization mechanism, which permits her to offer vitamins to the crops. The system additionally measures the salinity and acidity of the water and, most significantly, regulates its use, saving this useful useful resource.
Water points have at all times been essential for Odina’s district of Uzbekistan. Being very close to the border with Kyrgyzstan, this space has been extremely depending on water sources coming from this neighbouring nation. Also situated at an altitude of 677 metres above sea degree, with steep and treeless terrains, digging wells isn’t a dependable choice, as it’s usually too deep and costly to take action.
In this setting, farmers used to depend on canals that introduced water to the villages from the hills. Farmers must watch for her or his flip to make use of the water to irrigate their land.
Now the water is collected in a particular water tank after which used as needed, with the system irrigating greenhouses robotically. The uniform water provide of the drip irrigation system maintains the required humidity of the soil and the greenhouse as an entire. This is vital as a result of when there’s an excessive amount of water, extreme moisture creates a good setting for plant ailments.
“It may be very handy, saves me effort and time, and most significantly, saves water,” Odina explains of the drip irrigation system.
“Before, I didn’t understand how vital it’s to maintain a continuing file of temperature and humidity contained in the greenhouse. I didn’t know stop the unfold of varied plant ailments, as a consequence of which we used to lose a major a part of the crop. I realized these and different helpful issues throughout the FAO trainings,” she says.
With these new abilities and practices, Odina has grown her tomato enterprise right into a thriving small enterprise and receives two to a few occasions her earlier revenue.
New strategies for inexperienced progress
Neighbours and visitors who go to Odina’s farm instantly discover the enhancements to the greenhouse, together with the insect-proof mesh that covers all openings, the disinfectant foot mat on the entrance and the sticky traps for pests, all of which contribute to minimizing the usage of pesticides.
“It is simpler to stop pests and ailments from getting into the greenhouse than to take care of them later,” says Luciano Rovesti, an FAO Expert on Integrated Pest Management. “These are easy however vital technological improvements that can drastically assist in decreasing the incidence of pests, in the identical approach that the adoption of drip irrigation reduces the incidence of plant ailments.”
Digitalization is one other vital side of greenhouse administration. The challenge is testing equipping greenhouses with sensors and software program for measuring soil moisture, photo voltaic radiation, humidity and air temperature. This knowledge is then displayed on the farmers’ cell gadgets and permits them to remotely management the microclimate in greenhouses and irrigate in a well timed method.
For Odina’s household, the extra income from her flourishing yard greenhouse is greater than welcome. Odina, who has labored at residence all her life, now needs to offer her daughters with the alternatives that include increased schooling. She is saving the cash she earns to pay for her daughters’ college charges. One is learning to be a health care provider and the opposite to be a trainer – whereas her youngest daughter is making ready to enter college.
Odina’s is one in every of 40 greenhouses that FAO has modernized within the Andijan, Namangan and Ferghana areas of Uzbekistan. When farming turns into “good” and incomes grow to be sustainable, confidence sooner or later will increase. This 12 months the challenge goals to extend the variety of optimized greenhouses and prolong these sustainable practices even additional.
This story was despatched to Green Prophet by way of the FAO. Have excellent news to share? Send us a line at [email protected]
