Study of irrigation system condition and soil quality kicked off in Luhansk region

UkrAgroConsult Company has begun collecting water and soil samples for the creation of agro-chemical soil passports of farms operating in Shchastia, Troitske, Starobilsk, Bilokurakine and Novoaydar territorial communities of Luhansk region.

Apart from the above, scientists made an inventory of the region’s irrigation canals for taking subsequent steps to reconstruct and maintain irrigation systems which could be usable for effective crop cultivation and farming adaptation to climate change.

“In total, 17,300 ha of land was under irrigation in the government controlled part of Luhansk region. However, as a result of the Russian armed aggression, looting of sprinkling machines, pumping station engines, pipelines and their sale for scrap, a miserable portion is actually left in the region. Just 1,700 ha is watered, or ten times less than the existing areas. The restoration of irrigation systems will allow growers to get adapted to climate change with its droughts and dry hot winds, in order to be competitive under these conditions,” said Olga Mozgovaya from UkrAgroConsult.

In support of the project “Eastern Ukraine: Reconnect, Recover, Revitalize” (3R Project), UkrAgroConsult Company will conduct a study regarding the implementation of climate-smart agriculture in Luhansk. The study will be performed in cooperation with a multi-partner dedicated fund aimed at restoring and building peace in Ukraine.

The Company’s experts have to examine the state of the region’s irrigation systems, collect data for the geospatial mapping of those currently in operation, make a comprehensive soil analysis, analyze available data and projections related to climate change (particularly rainfall, temperature and moisture level in the ground) and prepare recommendations for Luhansk region’s agricultural producers on how to plan their business taking into account future climate change and its impact on the local farming sector.

UkrAgroConsult Company operates since 1994 and provides consultancy in business planning, techno-economic feasibility and forecasting the Ukrainian agricultural production market. As part of the study for 3R Project, UkrAgroConsult will work in a consortium with the Institute of Irrigated Agriculture of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Ukraine and LLC Prime Lab Tech.

Tags: soil, Luhansk region, irrigation, UkrAgroConsult