More than one third of the irrigated areas are not irrigated

Irrigation projects with dams, ponds, main irrigation canals, backup canals, in-field irrigation and drainage systems and land leveling works are investments with high initial investment costs. The main objective should be to maximize the benefit to be obtained from this investment, both for economic reasons and because of the positive contribution of irrigated agriculture to food security.

In Turkey, 66% of the irrigation areas that have been put into operation by providing irrigation infrastructure consist of projects developed by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (4.36 million ha), 19% by the abolished General Directorate of Soil, Water and Rural Services (1.29 million ha), and 15% by community irrigation (1 million ha).

Low Irrigation Rates 

Irrigation rate is an important performance indicator for ensuring sustainable use of irrigation facilities. In Turkey, this rate is around 65% on average in the areas put into operation by DSİ and monitored after transfer. In this case, more than one third of the irrigated areas cannot be irrigated for various reasons. This corresponds to approximately 1.575 million hectares. 

For most irrigation schemes in the Eastern and Central Anatolia Regions, the irrigation rate generally falls to around 30%. According to official reports, the irrigation rate is only 53% in pump irrigation areas, mainly due to high energy input costs. It is seen that the irrigation rate in pumped irrigation areas of DSİ's Ankara, Kastamonu and Erzurum Regional Directorates is lower than 10%.

In the past, 1.29 million ha of our irrigated areas were put into operation by Toprak-Su, YSE and KHGM. The management of these lands was first transferred to Special Provincial Administrations, and then the ones in provinces with Metropolitan Municipality status were transferred to the management of these administrations. In fact, it is not possible to provide healthy irrigation in these areas, which are deprived of maintenance and repair services due to long years of neglect. The budgets of the administrations are insufficient for the renewal of irrigation infrastructure. When the inadequacy of organizations such as unions undertaking the operations is added, irrigation rates have decreased and the expected yield from these irrigations has not been achieved.

Increasing the Irrigation Rate is among the 11th Development Plan Targets 

Increasing the irrigation rate to 68%, supporting modern irrigation systems, continuing efforts for efficient use of water, and expanding sprinkler and drip irrigation systems are among the targets for the Agriculture Sector for 2023 in the 11th Development Plan. 

Reasons for lack of irrigation?

Map of dominant reasons affecting irrigation rates according to DSİ Regional Directorates 

In our country, the reasons for not irrigating lands with irrigation systems are low demand for irrigation water and social and economic reasons. In addition to these, energy input costs, the fact that irrigated agriculture culture has not become widespread, the size of enterprises being far below the scale where economic production can be made, and the inability to direct production in a way to create a value chain are the main reasons for the low irrigation rate.

Factors suppressing water and food security, especially climate change, necessitate the most efficient use of irrigation facilities. For this, it is necessary to increase the irrigation rate and irrigation efficiency.

1.5 million hectares of land can be restored to irrigated agriculture

Studies reveal that at least half of the total of these non-irrigated areas, approximately 1.5 million hectares of land, can be brought under irrigation. According to the calculations made by experts, when 1.5 million hectares of land that can be brought to irrigated agriculture with the measures to be taken within the agricultural land that is not irrigated although it has an irrigation system is taken as 1.5 million hectares, it becomes clear that an investment of 24 billion dollars remains idle.

In 2020, irrigation facilities serving a total area of 120 000 ha could not be operated due to electricity debt. Considering that in 2020, the average production value increase provided by DSİ irrigation facilities was 2.624 TL/ha, the loss of production value in the area in question was 3.1 billion TL. This value gives an idea about our losses. 

What should be done? 

In this context, a very detailed inventory of the non-irrigated areas with irrigation facilities in our country should be carried out and the agricultural lands to be irrigated with incentives and priority should be determined within this area. 

According to the regions where these lands are located, the reasons for non-irrigation should be evaluated separately and the solutions to be created should be implemented rapidly. 

In order to increase the rate of irrigation, it is also necessary to reduce the operating costs of irrigation, especially electrical energy costs, to make rural infrastructure arrangements such as land consolidation, and to take the necessary measures for more economical operation of the facilities by optimizing the maintenance, repair and operation costs of the facilities. 

References:

Yıldız D., Başlamışlı Y.ÖZEL İ., (2022) "Why Our 1.5 Million ha Land with Irrigation Facilities is not Irrigated?" Su Politikaları Derneği. Report No: 2022-3. Ankara. September 1, 2022.