Modeling Irrigation Practices for Major Crops in the Tajiki Canal Command Area of Afghanistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66546/aijs.v2i3.77Keywords:
CROPWAT, Crop water productivity, Crop water requirements, Irrigation scheduling, Water supplyAbstract
A research study was conducted in the service area of the Tajiki Canal in Kabul, Afghanistan, to assess water management practices, including water supply, crop water requirements, cropping patterns, crop water productivity, and irrigation scheduling. Irrigation supply was measured using a rectangular weir installed at the canal intake. The site was surveyed, and reference marks were placed 1.2 m upstream of the weir to record daily water levels, which were converted into discharge values. Cropping patterns were mapped using a Global Positioning System (GPS), while crop water requirements were estimated using the CROPWAT model. Irrigation scheduling was evaluated through CROPWAT simulations and field data collected using a structured proforma. We measured the irrigation depth applied to individual fields using a cut-throat flume. The results showed that grape was the dominant crop, occupying 16% of the cultivable command area, followed by wheat (15%), tomato (6%), and apple (5%). Crop water requirements for all crops, except wheat, increased progressively and peaked in July. The maximum water requirements for grape, wheat, tomato, and apple were 7.04, 6.31, 10.29, and 10.19 mm/day, respectively. Irrigation supply was generally lower than crop demand, exceeding it only in July and August, while relative water supply ranged from 0.3 to 1.16. The average crop water productivity of tomato ranged from 5.13 to 5.59 kg/m³, whereas grape productivity declined from 1.99 kg/m³ at the head to 1.82 kg/m³ at the tail. Traditional irrigation scheduling largely matched CROPWAT estimates, although local practices applied 153 mm of water to grapes compared to 106 mm estimated by the model.
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