Agricultural Research, Extension and Training Project

ENVIRONMENT POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM

2001-2006

BLACK SEA CATCHMENT AREA OF GEORGIA

Moldova 2006

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

Agricultural Research, Extension and Training Project

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

Strengthen Georgia’s 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

EPC Program The Mission

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

EPC Program Overall Goal

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.

EPC Program Objectives

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.

Expected Outcomes

EPC Program

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

Black Sea Catchment area in Georgia

EPC Program Coverage

Map of Geographical Area covered by the EPC Program

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.

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6

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14

Black Sea

r. Khobi

r. Chanistskali

r. Choga

r. Ochkhomuri

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.

EPC Program Outcomes - 1

River pollution dynamics over 2002-2006Persistent reduction of pollution in the main rivers of Khobisatskali river basin

2002 2003 2004 2005 20061

4

7

10

NO

3 (m

g/l

)

2002 2003 2004 2005 20060,00

0,03

0,06

PO

4 (m

g/l

)

Chogha River, NO3 Choga river, PO4

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%)

EPC Program Outcomes – 3a

The nitrates content in crops (mg/kg)

Control2003

20042005

Control2003

20042005

Control2003

20042005

Mandarin Maize Potato

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10

20

30

40

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60

70

Nitrate contents in agricultural crops reduced by 30% on average in result of manure application

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

Soil surface (L) Soil deep (30 cm) (R)0

7.2

00

3

09

.20

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10

.20

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11

.20

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.20

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15,07

28,44

40,15

133,40

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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.

The Environmental Pollution Control (EPC) Program

Main Activities

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.

1. Environment-friendly agricultural technologies;

EPCP Main activities

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

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.

EPCP Main activities

1. Environment-friendly agricultural technologies;

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

EPCP Main activities

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

memarcvleobis dargSi

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).

M3. Environment pollution monitoring: Soil, ground water, drinking and river water, crop quality monitoring within the Khobistskali river basin

EPCP Main activities

Table of Environmental Pollution indicators:

Soils Rivers Ground Waters

Piezometers Water Wells

_phosphates_ PO4 - P

_nitrates_ NO3 - N

-pH; -suspended load particles

-pH; - suspended load particles

-pH; - suspended load particles

Heavy metals Cu _ phosphates _ PO4 - P

_ nitrates _ NO3 - N

_ phosphates _ PO4 - P

_ nitrates _ NO3 - N

_ phosphates _ PO4 -

P_ nitrates _ NO3 - N

Heavy metals Cu Heavy metals Cu Heavy metals Cu

Coli index Coli index

oxygen demand oxygen demand

Frequency of sampling: rivers- monthly, ground waters – biannualy, Soils – seasonally- 4 times during the year.

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.

4. Assessment of impact of improved agricultural practices

on farming efficiency and environment quality.

EPCP Main activities

- 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

5. Raising awareness and skills of Farmers through trainings, publications, individual recommendation.

EPCP Main activities

6. Development of National Code of Good agricultural practices- under development.

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)

EPCP Main activities

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

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

EPCP Outcomes

A (3). Nitrate content in agricultural crops was reduced by 30% on average as a result of biomanure application.

The nitrates content in crops (mg/kg)

Control2003

20042005

Control2003

20042005

Control2003

20042005

Mandarin Maize Potato

0

10

20

30

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50

60

70

EPCP Outcomes

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

Table 1. The productivity and nitrate content (in soil, product and plant) ranking analysis. (from 1 to 6 in decreasing consistency)

Types of fertilizers applied

Soil pollution Plant pollution

Product pollution

productivity

biomass 6 6 6 3

manure 5 5 5 4-5

Slurry manure 4 4 4 6

manure (80%) + NPK (20%)

2-3 1 2-3 2

biomass (80%) + NPK (20%)

2-3 2-3 2-3 1

NPK 1 2-3 1 4-5

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.

EPCP Outcomes

A (4). As a result of application of technologies for increase of productivity of 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 degraded and low fertile agricultural land plots (seed rotation, introduction of new crops, drainage etc) the crops, drainage etc) the soil fertility was increased by 22%soil fertility was increased by 22% on average, on average, productivity productivity

was increased by 30% and nitrat content was reduced by 28.5%.was increased by 30% and nitrat content was reduced by 28.5%. Table 2. Environment friendly agricultural technologies impact analasys:

Project name Increase of Soil

fertility

Average increase of

productivity of

agricultural crops %

Average amount of mineral fertilizers withdrawn from

application

Reduction of nitrate content in agricultural

crops %

Resulted saving GEL

Reduction of erosion indicator

%From a farm of each farmer kg/year

Per hakg

Increase of soil fertility by processed manure application

10-15 21-27 450 300-350 15,5 600

Increase of productivity of degraded and low fertile agricultural land plots (seed rotation, introduction of new crops, drainage)

20-25 30 0,89 350-375 28,5 192-240

Perfomance of soil erosion control activities (terracing, countour cultivation, construction of buffer zones etc).

30-40 29 65,2

EPCP Outcomes

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;

drawing 3. the Chogha River, NO3 drawing 4. Chogha River, PO4

EPCP Outcomes

2002 2003 2004 2005 20060,00

0,03

0,06

PO

4 (m

g/l

)

2002 2003 2004 2005 20061

4

7

10

NO

3 (m

g/l

)

B. 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.

EPCP Outcomes

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.

.

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 .

EPCP Outcomes C. Established correlation between adoption of environmentally

sustainable agricultural practices and quality of environment

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.

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

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.

EPCP Socio - Economical Impact

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.

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.

EPCP

Lessons Learned

Environmental Pollution Control Program

Prospective

Environmental Pollution Control Program

Thanks for your attention!

Georgia, 2006.