Agricultural Research, Extension and Training Project

1
Agricultural Research, Extension and Training
Project

• ENVIRONMENT POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM
• 2001-2006
• BLACK SEA CATCHMENT AREA OF GEORGIA
• Moldova 2006

2
Agricultural Research, Extension and Training
Project

• Project Components
• Competitive Grant Scheme to support adaptive
  research and technology dissemination at the farm
  level
• Reform of Agricultural System for a selected
  high priority research direction
• Environment Pollution Control Program to reduce
  agricultural nutrient pollution of the rivers
  draining into the Black Sea

3
Environment Pollution Control (EPC) Program

• Investments made under EPC Program
• GEF USD 1, 3 mln
• Beneficiaries USD 0, 02 mln
• GEF and IDA (sub projects implemented through
  the Competitive Grant Scheme) USD 0,9

4
EPC Program
The Mission

• Strengthen Georgias national capacity to meet
  international commitments assumed through
  becoming a party to the Bucharest Convention on
  the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution
  
• Support the country in its efforts to achieve
  compliance with international standards of the
  quality of environment towards integration into
  the European Community

5
EPC Program
Overall Goal

• Improve management of the land and water
  resources that will ultimately lead to the
  decreased nutrient pollution of the Black Sea.

6
EPC Program

Objectives

• Decrease the nutrient pollution to the rivers of
  West Georgia draining into the black Sea through
  introducing and promoting environment friendly
  agricultural practices,
• Support the newly emerged private farmers and
  small entrepreneurs through introducing, adapting
  and applying environmentally and economically
  sustainable and efficient agricultural
  technologies
• Establish and develop cooperation between farmers
  and scientists with the purpose of addressing
  specific agro-ecologic problems
• Adapt methodologies for monitoring and managing
  agricultural non-point source pollution of the
  environment (soil, ground water, surface water)
• Elaborate recommendations for decreasing adverse
  environmental impact of agriculture through
  studying correlation between various technologies
  and pollution.

7
EPC Program
Expected Outcomes

• Achieve gradual reduction of pollution of ground
  and surface waters in the Black Sea basin
• Arrest erosion process in the selected plots by
  introducing erosion control practices
• Cut pollutant contents in crops and soil
• Increase productivity of the degraded and
  non-fertile agricultural lands
• Improve socio-economic conditions of farmers
  through adoption of environment friendly BGD
  technology.

8
EPC Program Coverage
Black Sea Catchment area in Georgia

• Three districts in the EPC Program target region
  of Khobistskali river basin since 2001
• Five additional districts in the expanded area of
  the EPC Program implementation during 2004
  through 2006
• 2001-2006 total coverage - 154 villages
• - over 800 farm households
• - 1058 ha area of land

9
Map of Geographical Area covered by the EPC
Program
10
Rivers control cross sections Chanistkali
River- pollution changes at Tsalenjikha district
level , Ochkomuri River pollution changes at
homogeneous agro-climatic zone Choga River
pollution changes at village level.
11
Why the Khobistkali River Basin?

• Appropriate natural location of the Khobistskali
  river and its tributaries in terms of
• - reflecting anthropogenic impact on the
  environment at village, town, district, region
  levels
• - assessment of impact of cleaner technologies on
  environmental conditions.
• high concentration of Cattle
• high contamination with the residues of the
  mineral fertilizers.
• vast area of eroded plots.

12
River pollution dynamics over 2002-2006Persistent
reduction of pollution in the main rivers of
Khobisatskali river basin
EPC Program Outcomes - 1
Chogha River, NO3
Choga river, PO4
13
EPC Program Outcomes - 2

• Application of integrated practices against soil
  erosion
• Terracing, contour cultivation, buffer stripes
• Pollution of the adjacent rivers with suspended
  load particles and absorbed organic matter
  reduced
• Soil erosion reduced by 65
• Soil fertility increased by 25 on average
• Yields increased by 29 on average
• (maize 20-30, hazelnuts 20-25, soybeans
  50)

14
EPC Program Outcomes 3a
Nitrate contents in agricultural crops reduced by
30 on average in result of manure application
15
EPC Program Outcomes 3b

• Soil pollution with nitrates dropped over
  2003-2005 in the target farms in result of
  applying a set of improved agricultural practices

16
The Environmental Pollution Control (EPC) Program
Main Activities

• Extension and application of the
  environment-friendly agricultural technologies
• Introduction of manure management practices
• Monitoring and management of environment (soil,
  ground water, surface water, crops ) pollution
• Assessment of impact of improved agricultural
  practices of farming efficiency and environment
  quality
• Raising awareness and skills of Farmers through
  trainings, publications, individual
  recommendation
• Development of National Code of Good agricultural
  practices.

17
EPCP Main activities
1. Environment-friendly agricultural
technologies

• In 2002-2005 the environment-friendly
  technologies were extended to 340 places of 129
  villages of the Black Sea coastal region totally
  571 ha. area of land covered.

18
EPCP Main activities
1. Environment-friendly agricultural
technologies

• 1.1 Apply biological methods for the protection
  of plants from pests and diseases
• Practices Introduced application of
  microbiological preparations, bioinsectoacaricides
  , biofungicides, superparasites, entomophages for
  protecting annual and perennial crops (cucumber,
  tomato, maize, hazelnut, tangerine)
• Implementation area 14 farms of 8 villages
  total area 6 ha
• 2.2 Combat soil erosion through terracing,
  contour plowing, arrangement of buffer strips,
  etc.
• Practices Introduced Single strip plowing of
  soil Arranging buffer strips by linear planting
  of perennial crops Subsequent planting of annual
  and perennial crops Extension and dissemination
  of draught and wind resisting crop hybrid maize
  Enguri 5.
• Implementation area 108 farms of 52 villages
  total area 68ha.
• 2.3 Assess and analyze the qualitative parameters
  of agricultural plots
• Practices Introduced Large-scale examination of
  soils Field examination of soils Laboratory
  analysis of the soil samples Development of
  appropriate cartographic materials.
• Implementation Area 10 farms of 8 villages,
  total area 30ha.
• 2.4 Increase soil productivity by using the
  processed manure, and other organic fertilizers
  Demonstrate efficiency of organic methods of
  farming
• Practices Introduced Defining soils fertility of
  the target area Defining fertility of various
  types of manure (raw, processed in the manure
  storage facilities and bio-gas digesters
  biomass, bio-humus obtained from
  frame-containers, natural compost and etc.)
  Assessment of the agricultural crop productivity
  as a result of application of the processed
  manure Assessment of the agricultural crop
  quality/cleanness after application of processed
  manure
• Defining nitrate consistence in various layers of
  soil and ground waters.
• Implementation Area 64 farms of 28 villages
  total area 58ha

19
EPCP Main activities
1. Environment-friendly agricultural
technologies

• 2.5. Demonstration and dissemination of
  efficient practices of bio-mass application to
  the soil
• Practices introduced Defining the nutrient
  consistence in soils and bio-mass and dosage of
  application Development of simplified methods
  for bio-mass extraction from the bio-gas
  digesters (manual and foot pumps) Production of
  small-scale machinery (particular tanks) for
  biomass transportation and application into the
  soil Arranging farmers training and
  demonstration days.
• Implementation Area 6 farms of 3 villages, total
  area 4 ha.
• 2.6 Apply bio-stimulators for the rapid growth of
  plants
• Practices introduced Extraction of
  bio-stimulating substances from plants and
  antagonist fungi Preliminary treatment of
  cucumber, tomato, maize seeds by bio-stimulating
  substances (before sawing) Assessment of the
  efficiency of the used bio-stimulators in light
  of reducing negative impact of fungi (fuzarioses,
  verticilioses, and etc) Assessment of the
  efficiency of the used bio-stimulators in light
  of increasing agricultural crop quality
  (eco-cleanness).
• Implementation Area 2 farms of one village,
  total area 3 ha.
• 2.7 Increase productivity of the degraded and
  non-fertile arable lands through. seed rotation,
  introduction of new crop varieties, amelioration,
  etc Implementation Area 75 farms in 39 village,
  total area 95ha.

20
EPCP Main activities

• 2. Demonstration, extension and dissemination of
  the modern practices of manure management

• 2.1 Designing and constructing improved manure
  storage facilities (MSF) and acquisition of
  modern manure management practices (collection,
  processing, storing and application)
• Implementation Area 540 farms of 38 villages,
  total area 324ha.
• 2.2 Designing and constructing bio-gas digesters
  (BGD) utilization of bio-gas and bio-mass,
  acquisition of modern manure management practices
  (collection, processing, storing and application)
• Implementation area 272 farms in 56 villages
  total area 163ha
• 2.3 Development of Individual Nutrient (N and P)
  Management Plans for Farmers
• Implementation area 220 farmers of 22 villages,
  total area 132ha

21
memarcvleobis dargSi
22
(No Transcript)
23
EPCP Main activities

• M
• 3. Environment pollution monitoring Soil, ground
  water, drinking and river water, crop quality
  monitoring within the Khobistskali river basin

• Practices introduced
• Developing optimum system for complex
  investigation of the soil, ground water and river
  quality monitoring
• Developing operational manual for Quality
  Control / Safety Precautions to ensure validity
  of data
• Providing sample analyses according to ISO
  standards
• Providing the co-relation and regressive analysis
  of the statistical data
• Developing diagrams of changes in pollutants
• Implementation area Khobi, Tsalenjikha and
  Chkhorotsku districts of the Khobistskali river
  basin
• Frequency of sampling rivers- monthly, ground
  waters biannualy, Soils seasonally- 4 times
  during the year.
• (Total 2934 samples soils (surface, deep laid
  layers), surface drained waters, ground waters,
  rivers (channel sections, bad loads), crops were
  taken for 93 times at 100 different places during
  2002-2006 years).

24
Frequency of sampling rivers- monthly, ground
waters biannualy, Soils seasonally- 4 times
during the year.
Table of Environmental Pollution indicators

25
EPCP Main activities
4. Assessment of impact of improved
agricultural practices on farming efficiency and
environment quality.

• 4.1. Methodology for assessing impact of the
  extended improved agricultural practices
  developed.
• Up to 14 828 numerical data obtained from
  laboratory testing of samples were subjected to
  statistical processing and mathematical analysis
  for evaluating effectiveness of the adopted good
  agricultural practices.
• 4.2 Correlation between adoption of
  environmentally sustainable agricultural
  practices and quality of environment established.
  
• Co-relation, regressive and factor analysis of
  the efficiency of activities implemented under
  the Program during 2002-2006.
• 4.3 Impact of applying advanced agricultural
  practices on the farm productivity and pollution
  to the environment at the levels of individual
  farm units, villages, river basins and
  administrative districts assessed.

26
EPCP Main activities
5. Raising awareness and skills of Farmers
through trainings, publications, individual
recommendation.

• TV Program on bio-gas digesters, numerously
  aired video film (in Georgian and English
  languages) on a local and rural TV, widely
  circulated books and brochures
• More than 2 500 farmers took part in 200
  trainings arranged for 679 farmers participating
  in the program and for their neighbors during
  2002-2004.
• Recommendations for application of various
  agricultural technologies for 220 farmers were
  developed and disseminated

27
6. Development of National Code of Good
agricultural practices- under development.
EPCP Main activities

• Objective
• Provide information on gained experience of
  agricultural practices to local farmers and
  farmers associations what will ensure farm
  sustainability and increase prospects of
  efficient selling the product on internal as well
  as external markets.
• The Code sets recommendations taking into
  consideration of which will enable reduction of
  environmental pollution from agricultural sources
  by economically and environmentally efficient
  ways.
• Participants parties involved in agriculture
  management, scientific research and economic
  activities (public employees, sector specialists
  and representative of NGOs)

28
EPCP Outcomes

• A. Gradual reduction of the Black Sea Basin
  Environment Pollution in parallel with increased
  on the farm productivity within the program
  target area achieved. (2002-2006)
• A (1) As a result of introduction of integrated
  practicies against soil erosion (terracing,
  contour cultivation, construction of buffer
  zones)
• (a) pollution of the adjacent rivers with
  suspended load particles (turbidity) and organic
  mixtures absorbed by them was reduced
• (b) an erosion indicator of agricultural soils
  was reduced by 65.2
• (c) productivity of agricultural crops was
  increased by 29 on average (maize by 20-30,
  hazelnuts by 20-25, soya by 50)
• (d) productivity of soil was increased by 25 on
  average

29
EPCP Outcomes

• A (2). As a result of performance of agrarian
  practices soil pollution was dynamically reduced
• in 2003-2005.
• Note samples have been taken from those farmers
  plots where all the activities were performed

30
A (3). Nitrate content in agricultural crops was
reduced by 30 on average as a result of
biomanure application.
EPCP Outcomes
31
A (3.a) . Biomass (manure processed in biogas
digesters) application has the best results in
terms of pollution reduction, at the same time
the productivity is quite high in comparison with
control samples
EPCP Outcomes
A (3.b.) By the correlation of biomass and NPK
to 4/1 the best yields are achievable though the
pollution extent remains comparatively high.
Table 1. The productivity and nitrate content (in
soil, product and plant) ranking analysis. (from
1 to 6 in decreasing consistency)
32
A (4). As a result of application of
technologies for increase of productivity of
degraded and low fertile agricultural land plots
(seed rotation, introduction of new crops,
drainage etc) the soil fertility was increased by
22 on average, productivity was increased by 30
and nitrat content was reduced by 28.5.
EPCP Outcomes
Table 2. Environment friendly agricultural
technologies impact analasys
33
A (5). River Pollution Reduction Dynamics
2002-2006 In the Khobistskhali River basin the
regular reduction of pollution of main rivers of
the basin with NO3 and PO4 organic parameters was
in progress from 2002 through 2005
EPCP Outcomes
drawing 3. the Chogha River, NO3
drawing 4. Chogha River, PO4
34
EPCP Outcomes

• Developed Methodology for assessing impact of the
  extended improved agricultural practices
• B (6). The general methodology for selection of
  modern agro-technologies and optimal values for
  their parameters is being developed for
  sustainable development of farms
• Methodology enables us to select an optimal
  technology for each particular condition (soil,
  area, inputs, prices, etc) in terms of economical
  and ecological efficiency.

35
EPCP Outcomes C. Established correlation between
adoption of environmentally sustainable
agricultural practices and quality of environment

• C(7) Correlation of the nutrient content in soil
• hydrolyzed nitrogen and digestible potassium
  contents in soil have similar growth and
  reduction tendency
• possitive correlation between phosphorus contents
  digestible in soil in spring and autumn
• possitive correlation between hydrolyzed
  nitrogen contents as well as between digestible
  potassium contents in soil in spring and autumn
• negative correlation between the hydrolyzed
  nitrogen content digestible in spring and the
  phosphorus content digestible in autumn and
  between phosphorus content digestible in spring
  and the hydrolyzed nitrogen content digestible in
  automn.
• .

36
EPCP Outcomes C. Established correlation between
adoption of environmentally sustainable
agricultural practices and quality of environment

• C(8) correlation between environmental components
  
• fluctuation of river pollution coincides with the
  fluctuation of pollution of soil surface layers
  and fluctuation of ground water pollution is
  similar to the fluctualtion of the deep-laid soil
  layers
• possitive correlation between the ground water
  and soil pollutions, in particular the
  correlation between the piezometer water and soil
  surface layer pollutions amounts to 0.76 having
  0.95 probability
• C (9) Correlation between nutrient content in
  soil and yeild amount (productivity)
• Yields of maize and tomato change similarly i.e.
  smilarly depend on hydrolyzed nitrogen and
  digestible potassium contents in soil.
• Maize and tomato yield (productivity)
  functionally depend on hydrolyzed nitrogen and
  digestible potassium contents in soil i autumn.
• Productivity (yield) of citrus per land plot
  lineary depends on the amount of fertilzers
  applied.
• Posssitive correlation between the nitrate
  contents in maize, cucumber and tomato i.e. the
  higher the nitrate contents in one crop the
  higher it is in the other crops and vice versa.

37

• EEEPCP
• Socio - Economical Impact

• As a result of operating MSFs and BGDS during
  2002-2006, 842 farms of the Black Sea Coastal
  Region obtained 6,850 7,830 tons of organic
  fertilizer per year, that led to decreased soil
  and water pollution from 25 27 tons of mineral
  fertilizers used annually in the past. 272
  Farmers that acquired BGDs started to produce 180
  200 m3 of methane annually that can be used as
  a substitute for 900-1000 m3 of fuelwood.
• Annual savings of farmers stimulated by gradual
  substitution of mineral fertilizers with organics
  obtained from on-farm processing of manure and
  other wastes, made up about 200 GEL per annum,
  while expenditures for mineral fertilizers,
  firewood and liquid gas reduced by 600 GEL owing
  to the use of bio-gas and bio-mass produced in
  bio-digesters.

38
EPCP Socio - Economical Impact

• The neighbors of target farmers also benefit from
  Biodigesters using the extra biomass in their
  land plots. Cases of making of profit by selling
  of biomass have been also observed.
• Increased demand for novelties among farmers was
  resulted in expansion of the Program coverage and
  program activities over additional districts of
  the Black Sea coastal zone (Zugdidi, Lanchkhuti,
  Ozurgeti, Kobuleti, and Khelvachauri).
• Georgian farmers from different regions of the
  country and various international organizations
  operating in Georgia (GTZ, USAID, UMCOR, MERCY
  CORPS, CARE) have demonstrated interest in BGDs
  of the mentioned design and started constructing
  them in a number of districts. Notwithstanding of
  the high costs about 20 farmers installed the
  BDGs at their own expense

39
EPCP Socio - Economical Impact

• Increased local capacity and skills of about ten
  construction companies,increased number of
  employed local inhabitants. (Totally 2040
  individuals employed).
• Increased number of research institutions,
  construction and consulting companies NGOs
  (including local), researchers, specialists
  (including local) and farmers (direct and
  indirect beneficiaries) participating in the
  program.
• The interest and willingness of local governments
  to contribute to the project have been increased.
  The Adjarian government financed 10 of
  construction 60 biogas digesters in 2002-2006.
• Political Support strengthened The Presidential
  National Program of 2006 envisages implementation
  of activities for support of introduction of
  biogas digesters.

40
EPCP Lessons Learned

• Adoption of advanced agricultural practices takes
  changing of farmers behavioral pattern that is
  usually deeply entrenched on-farm activities
  is the best way to demonstrate to farmers the
  economic and environmental advantages of
  sustainable agricultural practices
• proved importance and urgency of developing and
  extending recommendations on the proper
  application of fertilizers (organic and
  non-organic) necessity to take into
  consideration an agro-chemical condition of each
  land plot before introduction of the selected
  agro-ecological technology in specific farms.
• consequent accumulation of more statistical data
  and Ensuring continuity of the established
  monitoring schemes, (resulted from increased
  number of control points and stability of
  monitoring in terms of timing and placing of
  control points) would allow detecting with a
  higher precision the causative relations between
  Program interventions and its outcomes.
• Results of a cause- and effect (correlative,
  regressive, factor) analysis enables us to (a)
  objective evaluate efficiency of the
  agro-technologies introduced and (b) increase
  liability of fair control over proper
  implementation of agro-technologies and
  monitoring.

41
EPCP Lessons Learned

• Direct economic benefit of application of the
  environment friendly technologies is the issue of
  crucial interest to the farmers like gas and
  manure produced by biogas digesters, increased
  lands, resulted from the application of terracing
  practices etc.
• Low awareness of farmers remains as the most
  significant problems encountered. There is a need
  for performance of regular trainings more widely.
  
• Successful implementation of the program is in
  many respects conditioned by participitation and
  support of varios stakeholders, e.i. NGOs,.local
  administrations, donors, academicians etc.

42
Environmental Pollution Control Program

• Prospective

43
Environmental Pollution Control Program

• Thanks for your attention!
• Georgia, 2006.