ZUR no. 1
ZEF-UNESCO Rivojlanishlari*
April 2008
Science brief from the ZEF-UNESCO
project on Sustainable Management of
Land and Water Resources in Khorezm,
Uzbekistan
Laser land leveling:
More about water
than about soil
Summary
Laser leveling is not so much about moving soil, but more
about using and conserving water resources efficiently. Land
leveling using laser-guided levelingLaser
equipment
is adapted
leveling
is not abou
well-tested, easy to implement and efficient technology for
but about using water efficiently and
saving water, improving water distribution, and increasing
Oybek
Ergamberdiev,
Bernhard
Tischbein,
irrigation
water use
efficiency. This all
leads to higher
yields John P
and more agriculture
environmentally
production.
Irrigated
is friendly
in mostagricultural
of Uzbekistan
the only op
Laser leveling
couldas
be readily
on a larger irrigation.
scale
usually
applied
basin introduced
and row/furrow
Th
in Uzbekistan if appropriate financing and training services
depends
on the spatial uniformity of the irrigation water
for farmers were available.
strongly influenced by the uniformity of the micro-topo
technique
to achieve uniform micro-topography is in pa
Background
but suitable also for al other crops. Although land leve
In Uzbekistan,
irrigated
agriculture
is the only
option
to these
majority
of the
fermers
and deqhons
hardly
follow
cultivate and produce crops. Irrigation water is usually
aware
consequences,
recurrently m
applied about
as basin the
or row/furrow
irrigation.farmers
The application
conducted
of aheavily
lack of
butofintheparticular
efficiency ofbecause
water depends
on funding,
the uniformity
field. Land
leveling
is a techniquelevel
to achieve
such uniform
skilled
labor
to effectively
the land.
Subsequently,
micro-topography
is beneficial
for thetables
cultivation
of
from
salinity andand
high
groundwater
that often
are all crops.
to non-uniform
water distribution in the field- that in turn
Land leveling used to be a common practice in Uzbekistan.
The
present
leveling,
implemented
with
tractor-draw
Nowadays,
theland
majority
of the fermers
and deqhons
rarely
blade or bar that move soil from the higher elevations to t
Picture 1: Conventionally leveled field
Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung
Center for Development Research
University of Bonn
Picture
1:the
traditionally
lev
follow such practices, although they are
aware of
negaAlthough
the land
latest
tive consequences.
Whenmay
asked,looks
farmersleveled,
say they do
not during
implement landvariations
leveling techniques
because
theywhich
lack funtopographic
becomes
visible
causes an
ding,
appropriate
equipment,
and
skilled
labor.
At
present,
These undulated land conditions in turn lead to higher en
more than 60% of irrigated lands suffer from high salinity
costs.
The application
efficiency
irrigation
and groundwater
tables resulting
from of
high
percolationwater dep
Assuming
a field topography
difference
of 10 cm, a
losses due toe.g.
non-uniform
water distribution
in the field;
such degradation
a primary
causea of
yield reductions.
water
is neededisas
to obtain
similar
soil moisture level
the lower elevations have become prone to water lo
phenomenon. In case no additional water is appli
simultaneously with water deficits spots at more elevate
of the fields is growing. Furthermore non-uniform water
salinization within the field. Finally, conventional tillag
moves the soil in one single direction which over time
Figure 2: Schematic overview of laser leveling of land. Source:
2: Schematic overview of laser leveling of land. Source:
hFigure
ttp://dswcpunjab.gov.in/contents/Laser_Leveling.htm
Conventional leveling
vs. laser leveling
http://dswcpunjab.gov.in/contents/Laser_Leveling.htm
All of these factors combined lead to a reduction in weeds
overall
higheranyields.
Laser level land is very accuratelyand
and
warrants
ideal water distribution, with negligible wat
The most commonly implemented
land-leveling
When
plowing
is done
or conservation
tillaLaser and
level
landirrigation
is technique
very accurately
warrants
an
idealeffectively,
waterObviously,
distribution,
negligible
losses
high
water use and
efficiency
(picture-3
left).
thewith
initial
costs of wa
las
is a tractor-drawn leveler with
a
blade
or
a
bar
moving
soil
ge
practices
are
being
implemented,
laser
leveling
is
only
losses
and
high
irrigation
water
use
efficiency
(picture-3
left).
Obviously,
the
initial
costs
of
land leveling are high but the gains are convincing. Not only water savings of up to 25-30%laa
from higher elevations to lower
(Figureare
1). high but the gains
necessary
every 5-8 years.
Water
leadsof
to up
lower
leveling
are convincing.
Notleveled
only saving
water
savings
to 25-30%
toland
beones
expected,
but experiences showed
that
with laser
crop also
germination,
establishmen
While the land may appear level with this technique,
energy consumption as a high share of the irrigation water
to be expected,
but experiences
showed
thatwhich
with results
laser leveled
crop
germination,
establishme
growth
and
uniformity
is
largely
improved,
in
less
weed
growth
and
higher
yield
during the irrigation period topographic variations become
in Uzbekistan is pumped.
growth
and
uniformity
is
largely
improved,
which
results
in
less
weed
growth
and
higher
yiel
ploughing
conservation
tillage
practices,
a follow
visible, revealing an unevenMoreover,
distributionwhile
of irrigation
water.effectively,
It is or
notuse
expected
that each
farmer
will purchase
laser up levelin
Moreover,
whilethis
ploughing
effectively,
or use
conservation
a follow
level
not become
necessary
atleveling
least 5-8
years.
Water saving
to ainvestors
reduction
in time
Undulated land conditionswill
resulting
from
methodfor
equipment.
Instead,
thetillage
role leads
ofpractices,
private
on up
will
not
become
necessary
for
at
least
5-8
years.
Water
saving
leads
to
a
reduction
in
time
irrigate
the
field
and
to
a
lower
energy
demand,
because
a
high
portion
of
the
irrigation
water
higher production costs as the application efficiency of
a cooperative basis and/or the creation of enterprises which
irrigate
the
field
and
to
a
lower
energy
demand,
because
a
high
portion
of
the
irrigation
water
irrigation water depends strongly
on theistopography
can provide the necessary equipment is being investigated.
Uzbekistan
pumped. of the
field. For example, in a field where
the topography
varies by
Uzbekistan
is pumped.
10 cm from the highest to the lowest
points, an additional application of
1000 m3 water per ha is needed to
obtain a similar soil moisture level
at the most elevated spots. In addition, when farmers apply excessive
amounts of water to compensate for
topographical variation, lower elevations are prone to water logging–a very
serious and common phenomenon
in Uzbekistan. Non-uniform water
distribution similarly enhances diffePicture3: Irrigation (left) and crop germination (right) on a laser
rences in soil salinization within the
leveled field
same field. Conventional Picture3:
tillage practices,
such(left)
as land
Irrigation
and crop germination (right) on a the laser leveled field
leveling, often move the soilPicture3:
in one single
direction,
which
Irrigation
(left)
and crop germination (right) on a the laser leveled field
over time may contribute to uneven soil surfaces. Fields
It
is
not
necessary
that
each
that are unleveled show an uneven cropping pattern, have farmer would purchase such a set of equipment, but instead it
It isdisplay
not necessary
that private
each farmer
wouldopportunities
purchase such
of equipment,
important
to
investigate
investment
on aa set
cooperative
basis, but
and instead
look at it
t
a higher rate of weeds, and
uneven
maturation
important
to
investigate
private
investment
opportunities
on
a
cooperative
basis,
and
look
at
creation
of
enterprises,
which
provide
machinery-services.
rates—all factors which lead to yield losses.
creation of enterprises, which provide machinery-services.
Figure 2: Schematic overview of laser leveling of land.
Source: http://dswcpunjab.gov.in/contents/Laser_Leveling.htm
IMPRINT
Laser leveling
Land leveling through laser-guided leveling equipment
(figure 2) is a well-tested and efficient technology.
Laser leveled land displays a homogenous surface with
improved water distribution, negligible water losses and
a high irrigation water application efficiency (picture-3
left). The initial costs of laser leveling are higher than traditionally leveled soils, however, gains in productivity and
water conservation arguably offset the initial investment.
Not only do water savings exceed 25%, but experience has
shown that on laser leveled land, crop germination, establishment, growth and uniformity is significantly improved.
Authors:
Oybek Ergamberdiev, Bernhard Tischbein, John P.A. Lamers, (Senior
Researchers at ZEF) and Christopher Martius (ICARDA), Jennifer
Franz (ZEF).
* ZUR is an abbreviation of ZEF-UNESCO Rivojlanishlari, meaning
ZEF-UNESCO Developments. The ZUR science briefs publish scientific project output with policy relevance on a regular basis.
Published by the Center for Development Research (ZEF)
University of Bonn, Germany
Uzbekistan Project Office
phone: # 49 228 731917 or 731865
e-mail: khorezm@uni-bonn.de
homepage: http://www.zef.de/khorezm.0.html
ZUR no. 1 April 2008