Agricultural achievements and irrigation management in Kuwait

207

Desalination, 72 (1989) 207-214 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam

-

Printed

in The Netherlands

AGRICULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT IN KUWAIT L.

SAVVIDES

C/o Agriculture

Affairs

and Fish

Resources

Authority,

Kuwait

ABSTRACT Kuwait has limited water resources and agriculture is faced with two major problems: (1) the hot weather during summer and (2) the poor quality of groundwater. inspite of the above adverse conditions, impressive achievements have been made during the recent years. Almost an area of 5000 hectares is cultivated every year mainly with vegetables. Protected vegetables in plastic houses are well progressed with all the new technology for maximumyields and efficient utilization of irrigation water. Three types of irrigation water are used in agriculture, sweet (desalinated seawater), brackish and treated sewage. The important aspects to be considered are the proper education of farmers, the installation of the appropriate irrigation systems, properly designed, operated and maintained and proper irrigation scheduling of crops. Training of staff is on a continuous basis to ensure that the advance technology is well introduced and properly applied for the efficient use of ail the production resources and mainly the irrigation water which is the limiting factor for expanding agriculture. The recommended irrigation system is drip for vegetables, bubbler for trees and sprinkler for fodder crops. Leaching of salts is of great concern and great consideration is given to this aspect.

INTRDDUCTK)N Kuwait

has

made good

progress

in

agriculture

during

recent

years.

The

actual

agricultural irrigated land has increased from 1750 in 1981 to over 4450 hectare in 1986. not

an exaggeration

to

say that

Kuwait is doing real miracles in agricultural High temperatures

compared to the adverse conditions prevailing in the country. and poor quality of underground water, development is to

are the main obstacles.

be continued with the

introduction

of

It is

development during summer

inspite of such limitations,

ail advanced

technology

properly

adapted for such conditions. The average yearly rainfall does not exceed 100 mm and hence does not contribute the replenishment of the groundwater reserves,

to

nor help in leaching of salts accumulated on the

top soil layer during irrigation. Water management is of great importance in the efficient sewage or desalinated.

utilization of the available water Various sectors

resources

either groundwater or treated

resources

are given attention in the distribution, control and application.

is the irrigation management at various levels and particularly production.

OOll-9164/89/$03.50

0 1989 Elsevier Science Publishers

B.V.

utilizing such

Of greater

importance

at farm level for

agricultural

208 Proper planning of agricultural development is done through the Agriculture

Affairs

and

Fish Resources Authority (AAFRA) which is the main body responsible for that purpose, and it is well organized in all aspects,

from plant development, soil and water, extension services, animal

husbandry, to fisheries and others. Landscape and greenery development within Kuwait is of great importance and coordinated plans are under consideration for promoting greenery based on the selection of the appropriate plans most suited under the climatic (hot summer) and poor water quality conditions.

AGRICULTLRALDEVELOPMENT ASPECTS The agricultural

activities

are concentrated

on the following aspects:

agricultural and animal production (2) maximize water use efficiency

(1) increase of

and (3) increase of forestry

and landscape areas. The main areas of agricultural development are Wafra, Abdali and Sulaibiya. Abdali the crops mostly cultivated crops.

are vegetables

In Wafra and

whereas in Sulaibiya area it is the fodder

Within the Kuwait city is the Omariya experimented farm of about 100 hectares

most types of trees and vegetables crops are experimented before given to farmers. of this station are also in Wafra and Abdali.

Considerable efforts

where

Branches

are being made in promoting

the proper varieties of date palms and vegetables. Hydroponics have been experimented for over gained in this field is reflected

20 years

in Kuwait and the experience

with the expansion gaining place.

expensive in the initial investment, saves a lot of irrigation water. plastic houses are extensively

grown and constitute

Such technique, Protected

although

vegetables under

the major component in the agricultural

development. The main season of vegetable Vegetables

cultivation starts

from September up to the end of May.

are grown also in summer under protection

(cooling system during hot season) but

on a limited scale.

Few types of vegetables such as okra, melons, mouloqia, etc. are also grown

in open fields during summer.

SOURCEDE lBRlGATiDNWATER Three

types

of

irrigation

water

development: (1) groundwater (2) treated

are

presently

used

for

agriculture

and

landscape

sewage, and (3) desalinated.

Groundwater The quality of this water is very poor and needs special management for keeping up both the crop production and the soil free Unfortunately

from excessive

salt concentration

and deterioration.

most of Kuwait’s groundwater is of such quality with total dissolved solids (TDS)

ranging from 5000

to

12000.

Crops irrigated

areas, vegetables (tomato, egg-plant, parsley, mint, etc.). it is about 6000.

from groundwater

are date

palms, landscape

cabbage, broad beans, lettuce, okra, beet leaves, radish,

Most of the boreholes produce water of about 8000 TDS whereas in Abdali

209 Treated

Sewage

Treated water with a TDS of 2500 is used to irrigate fodder crops, landscape areas and few date palms. The project

for animal (cattle)

production in Sulaibiya is irrigating about 1000

hectares of alfalfa and other fodders with such water. Desalinated

Water

All the

vegetables

under plastic houses are

irrigated

vegetables include tomato, cucumber, pepper, egg-plant,

with desalinated

water melon, etc.

by tankers and stored temporarily in the farm reservoir.

water.

These

The water is carried

It is then pumped to the plastic house

through modern drip irrigation systems.

IFtRIGATiDNMANAGEMENT Policy

and

Targets

Since water subsidized and is a limiting factor

in expanding agriculture,

the Government’s

policy is clear. “Economy in water use, maximize water use efficiency Government subsidizes technology. the

agricultural

Special attention

aim that

all irrigated

production

and assists

is given to the expansion

areas

and increase

are under proper

farmers

in

productivity.”

introducing

of the modern irrigation

irrigation

The

advanced

techniques

with

systems which save water

and

produce higher yields. Every drop of water landscape proper

area,

distribution Irrigation

in operation knowledge

network

of

the

valuable

resources

of

of

the

to be achieved.

Factors

Affecting

The

transmitting

production

targets

the

efficient

utilization

very

services knowledge

little reaches

to

Water distribution

2.

Selection

unit

Efficient

limits of

area

under

Utilization

the

irrigation

water

3.

Preparation

and management.

of the appropriate of the proper

4.

Proper

5.

Use of proper

installation

irrigation irrigation

system.

designs.

of the system.

material,

fittings

the

of

usage,

either

to achieve

farm

or

such results,

is needed.

appropriate

and mainly the

are the following:

1.

point In order

farmer.

training that

of

staff

although

and farmers

there

is a lot of

the farmers. irrigation

extension

It will not

be good

should to

be

waste

of usage.

within the per

of

the

at all levels

with the

unfortunately

extension

agriculture

to

wastage.

It is world wide accepted

at the farms or areas

The expansion increase

without

management

aspects.

and libraries

importance

as the means of

important

and proper

and maintenance

realized

the

from its source

efficiently

at farm level should coincide

in books

The

carried

should be used

and equipment.

available the

of

water

advanced

the

depends

resources, technology,

Irrigation on

many

together

with

are

main

the

Water factors,

the

mOSt

210 6.

Operation and maintenance of the irrigation system.

7.

Leaching of accumulated salts.

8.

Crop selection and agricultural practices. Training

9.

If any of the above factors will be affected.

is not well applied, the whole efficiency

of water utilization

Very often we see a sophisticated system being installed and although a lot

of money has been paid, the irrigation

efficiency

may be very

low due to poor irrigation

scheduling and lack of knowledge for proper operation and the right application of water in the various parts of the farm. Water

distribution

and management.

Points of concern for this aspect are: (1)

proper distribution of water (2) control of the amount of water delivered and (3) effective

use

of water at the delivering points. It is very common that in big distribution networks out of 100 units of diverted water very little is used (10 to 20 units), while the rest is wasted.

Such waste may be due to: (1)

poor design of the network (2) lack of control equipment within the network and (3) lack of control at the delivery points. As an example, the brackish water distribution network within the Kuwait city, although a good network, its efficiency

is expected to be rather low due to the lack of control both within

the network and at the end points.

Water is delivered to many public and private gardens with

variable flow and pressure and the users pay very little. The water management in such cases, which happens to many irrigation

schemes in all

parts of the world, is of great importance. The users of the water (farmers, etc.) have to be forced

to install modern irrigation systems and be aware of the value of the resources

being

wasted. Selection

of

the

appropriate

irrigation

system.

Experimental results in the

Gulf countries indicate that the most suitable systems are the following in accordance with the crops irrigated: Agricultural

crops.

* Trees

bubbler

* Vegetables

drip system - sprinkler system (use of low capacity sprinklers) if the water quality is good for leaf mainly vegetables.

* Fodder

sprinkler the water

Landscape

crops

system

system - basin system for is of very poor quality.

alfalfa

when

areas.

* Hedges

Drip

* Flowers

Drip system - spray system may be used if the water is of good quality and bubbler system may be used in small basin (1.5 m2/bubbler)

* Grasses

(turf)

system

pop-up

(one emitter

sprayers

* Shrubs

drip

system

* Trees

drip

system

every

and pop-up

and bubbler

0.4

sprinklers

system

to 0.5

m)

211 In most considered

Of

very

the

Orchards

for

the

salts

reSUltS

trees

annual

to be irrigated salts

to

quality

the

drip

is good.

system.

is around

100

mm, which is

zone of the crops.

with drip system

takes

unless

the irrigation

water

place. have proved

Some

Low quality

rainfall

in the root

in the United Arab Emirates

compared

if the water

average

accumulated

and leaching of excess

Experimental suited

countries

leaching

are not recommended

is of good quality

sprinkler

Gulf

little for

that

vegetables

irrigation

bubbler

may be

water

system

is most

irrigated

with the

is not used with the sprinkler

system. Fodder

crops

can be irrigated

It is recommended

to

perform

must be mentioned

that

the

by sprinkler irrigation

the grasses

system

early

(Rhodes

with water

morning,

grass,

etc.)

late

are

containing

afternoon

up to

or

more resistant

2500

during

TDS.

night.

to salts

It

compared

to alfalfa. Turf

in landscape

limits of the fodder

areas

can be irrigated

with water

with lower

quality

compared

with the

crops.

Preparation

of

the

proper

irrigation

designs.

Any irrigation

design

should

fulfill the following requirements 1.

It achieves

high uniformity

2.

It has no operational

problems.

check

the

and

agricultural It

3.

can

practices

supply

reasonable

for

extension

Its cost

5.

the

or laborer

easily.

and activities

to be carried

the

crop

water

demand

for

extra

supply

of

in charge

Furthermore

and

the

out without

can

will be able to operate,

design

accounts

for

all

problems.

complete

the

daily

irrigation

within

water

in cases

of

changing

nozzles

or emitters

or

of the system.

private

designed

companies

systems

are

lack

appropriate

very

expensive

knowledge the

in the

uniformity

of

design

water

preparation

distribution

and

may be

low. In all the

essential

designs

to have

the farmer The knowledge

details

it

is not

enough

of the operation

details

on how many valves

people

dealing

of agricultural

Proper 1.

The farmer

system

with the farm.

is reasonable.

Many times although

distribution

time.

It has flexibility

4.

very

maintain

of water

with

installation

PVC pipes

should

the

aspects

to

prepare

the

of the system.

or irrigation

preparation

blocks of

the

of

the

irrigation

about

maps,

great

irrigation

but

importance

should be operated

which have to be seriously

be buried

appropriate

It is of

designs

it

is

also

to give to

at the same time. should

have

in order

to

broad

considered.

system.

two feet

below the

soil Surface

Protect

them from the sunlight and from machinery. 2.

Polyethylene

(PE) pipes

can withstand should not folds

sunlight.

However

be more than

the low density

mainly the

30 cm.

and soft

soft

and flexible

if there

is need

ones

should

to be installed

not

be buried

underground,

The load of the soil and the compaction

polyethylene

pipes,

thus reducing

Carrying

as they the depth

done by time, capacity.

212 3.

SOlVent welding PVC pipes should be carefully connected using both the clearer and the appropriate

solvent

welding cement.

Care

should be

taken

to

avoid

the

use

excessive welding Cement mainly in the small pipe of diameter 2 inch and below.

of

It has

been observed that excessive cement used during hot weather will cause deformation of the PVC around the joining area

and be a weak point notwithstanding the specified

pressure. 4.

Whenever the

joining of

the PVC pipes is done

anchorage and thrust blocks should be used.

by sockets

Such protection

with

the

rubber

ring,

is absolutely necessary

mainly in tees and points where the water changes direction. 5.

Trenching for

laying the PVC Pipes should be done appropriately,

stones

should be

cleared and 5 - 10 cm sand or grated material should be laid below and above the pipe. 6.

In PE pipes, quick release fittings should be used for disconnecting and removing the pipes whenever necessary.

7.

The drilling of PVC pipes for connecting these drip lines through grommet take off (GTO) should be done carefully

in order to avoid leakages.

Similar care should be taken in

punching the polyethylene or polybutylene drip lines for attaching the various types of emitters. 8.

Booster pumps receiving water from reservoirs or a low pressure switch.

should have a low level cut-out

Such arrangements are needed in order to protect

system the pump

whenever the tank gets empty and the pump is still working. 9.

A pressure

relief valve (safety

valve) should be installed immediately after

order to return excess water back to the reservoir

and protect

the pump in

the pipes from excess

built up pressure whenever some or all the operating valves are closed. 10.

The filter should be installed after fertilizer

11.

the fertilizer

apparatus in order to avoid undissolved

from going into the system and clogging the emitters.

If the power unit is not directly connected to the pump and belts are used for running the pump, then the

two pulleys (pulley of the pump and pulley of the power unit) should

have the appropriate diameter ratio for transmitting the necessary RPM to the pump. In such case

the power unit must have the appropriate

overloading and consequently engine).

HP or KW in order

heating up of the unit (either

electric

to

avoid

motor or diesel

Furthermore, if the power unit is a diesel engine, it is essential that proper

foundation for the installation should be done to avoid vibration and the two pulleys (of the pump and the diesel engine) should be in good alignment. Use

of

proper

material,

fittings

variety of pipe material and equipment of different

and equipment.

In the market there is a

price and performance.

Cheap equipment do

not last long and bring a lot of trouble in the proper operation of the system and hence can affect

the efficient

utilization of the water resources.

Very often private companies use such cheap material in the installation of irrigation systems without any control.

Farmers do not know much about the quality and performance of the

equipment and although they pay a lot of money, the systems installed are of poor quality and soon run in to problems. Important points to be considered are the following:

213 1.

PVC or other plastic pipes and fittings should be of reputable manufacturer have all specifications

written outside.

The specification

and should

should include manufacturers

name, material pressure rating or class and diameter. 2.

Galvanized iron (GI) pipes which are mostly used near the control head should be medium to heavy duty.

3.

Brass gate valve (mostly recommended to be used in the irrigation system compared to ball valves) should be of appropriate quality.

It has been observed that installation of

cheap gate valves very soon run out of function with leakage and corrosion handles.

of the

Replacement of gate valves in an existing system is not easy and furthermore

two valve adaptors have to be used for each case. 4.

Drip lines should not have any handling problems.

Specifically whenever the pipe wall is

very thin or very thick there are problems either of folding or with the attachment of the emitters.

A drip line of about 1.5 mm wall thickness for the 13 mm ID drip line is

mostly recommended. 5.

The grommets used for

connecting the drip lines to the PVC pipes should have the

appropriate size and both the grommet and the rubber should be of the best quality. 6.

Sprinkler nozzles or emitters used should be selected based on experience gained after trying such brand under the conditions of the country concerned.

An emitter which has

proved to be good for one country may fail in another due to various reasons such as climate, water quality, soil and management practices. 7.

Pumping units should be selected

after

considering costs,

lifetime and performance.

However in all the irrigation systems the pumping unit selected

should be capable of

delivering the required flow and lead with some extra allowance. Operation

and

maintenance

of

the

irrigation

systems.

The farmer must

know quite well the following aspects concerning the operation and maintenance. 1.

Cleaning of the filters.

2.

Fertilization through the system.

3.

Checking of the pressure.

4.

Number of valves or blocks to be irrigated at the same time.

5.

Abnormal conditions in the control head or pumping unit.

6.

Irrigation scheduling (timing and duration of irrigation).

7.

Repair of broken pipes and replacement of nozzles or emitters.

8.

Flushing of the system. A low pressure in the system may be due to different

factors

such as:

Blockage of filters. Blockage of suction pipe or strainer

in the tank (inadequate

supply of water to the

PumPI. Blockage of the pump impellers from dirt. Malfunction of the pressure reservoir.

relief valve (safety

valve) i.e., return

water back to the

214 5.

Opening of more valves in the farm than it should be.

6.

Water leakage through broken pipes laid underground.

7.

Failure of the pump to run at the appropriate

RPM and give the necessary

amount of

water with the head required. During irrigation the farmer should go around and check the nozzles or emitters for any clogging problems and identify any leakages.

Galvanized iron pipes near the control head should

be painted with anti corrosive material. Leaching

of

accunulated

keeping up the soil productivity.

salts.

Unfortunately

Leaching of salts is an absolute necessity for most of the Kuwait’s groundwater is of very

poor quality and continuous application of water without leaching will affect

the soils.

Rainfall is

very little in order to be accounted favorably for this purpose. Extra water should be added in order to keep the downward movement of salts. variation in leaching efficiency pipes and dripping emitters).

between various types of emitters (difference

There is

between porous

Salt accumulation in the periphery of the drippers or between

porous drip lines is evident and care is needed for the next season’s planting. It is recommended that before planting vegetables the emitter should run for sometime in order to lead away any salts accumulated during the previous season.

Small seedlings or young

plants, are more sensitive to salts immediately after germination. Crop

selection

and

agricultural

Intensive cultivation

practices.

should be

avoided and proper crop rotations should be followed for keeping up the soil productivity. limiting factors

for promoting agriculture

is water and not land.

below unity whenever brackish water is used.

Cropping intensity should be

Suitable crops should be selected

production under the water quality, climate and soil conditions.

The

for maximum

Agriculture practices should be

coordinated with the aim of promoting plant growth and production and achieving the maximumper unit value of water used. Training.

Training should be carried out continuously at all levels i.e., from farmers,

technicians and higher staff.

Irrigation is a technique and science with continuous development.

New research and results and new equipment imply that the staff Appropriate

training should be applied separately

is kept updated on all recent farmers,

technicians and

The irrigation extension service which consists of suitable technical staff

supervising and

developments.

for

higher staff.

advising farmers or other users of irrigation water, is of great importance.