| Year : |
2026 |
| Volume : |
72 |
| Issue : |
2 |
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| Authors : |
Vjekoslav TANASKOVIK; Veikko SHALIMBA; Ordan CUKALIEV; Simeon AMBUGA; Katrin BEYER; Sai Trinath SURYADEVARA; Svetoslav MALCHEV; Jan SIERING; Hossein AZADI; Stojance NECHKOVSKI; Margarita DAVITKOVSKA; Zvezda BOGEVSKA; Imaneh GOLI; Marija VUKELIKJ SHUTOSKA |
| Title : |
SUSTAINABLE IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR ARID ENVIRONMENTS: A PILOT STUDY ON SLECI IN GEM SQUASH CULTIVATION |
| Abstract : |
Agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions such as Namibia is highly dependent on groundwater and finding solutions to optimize water use is crucial. Hence, this study aimed to compare the performance of a self-regulating, low-energy, clay-based subsurface irrigation system (SLECI) with surface drip irrigation in gem squash cultivation in terms of crop yield, water use, and irrigation water productivity (IWP). The study was conducted at the Ombe Gast Farm in Namibia from November 2022 to February 2023, using a field experimental design comprising five replicated rows of 40 m for each irrigation treatment. Irrigation water productivity was calculated by the ratio of fresh yield to volume of water used and the data were compared. The results showed a small difference of the gem squash yield when comparing the irrigation techniques. The surface drip irrigation produced 11,256 kg/ha fresh weight yield of gem squash or almost 19 % more than the 9,475 kg/ha recorded under sub-surface SLECI irrigation treatment. The water savings potential during the vegetation period was higher in sub-surface SLECI than the surface drip irrigation. Sub-surface SLECI consumed only 3,011 m3/ha water per season, while drip irrigation showed 125 % higher water use or 6,761 m3/ha. In addition, the results for IWP showed that sub-surface SLECI produced 3.15 kilograms of fresh gem squash yield for every cubic meter of applied water or nearly one time more than treatment with surface drip irrigation treatment. Therefore, agricultural policymakers are advised to facilitate the transition to sustainable agriculture in drylands by promoting and supporting the deployment of low-energy and low-consumption technologies such as SLECI through subsidies, low-interest facilities, and training programs. This will ensure food security and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the long term, while preserving groundwater resources. |
| For citation : |
Tanaskovik, V., Shalimba, V., Cukaliev, O., Ambuga, S., Beyer, K., Suryadevara, S. T., Malchev, S., Siering, J., Azadi, H., Nechkovski, S., Davitkovska, M., Bogevska, Z., Goli, I., Vukelikj Shutoska, M. (2026). Sustainable irrigation technologies for arid environments: A pilot study on sleci in gem squash cultivation. Agriculture and Forestry, 72 (2): 281-295. https://doi:10.17707/AgricultForest.72.2.18 |
| Keywords : |
clay-based self-regulating irrigation, surface drip irrigation, crop yield, irrigation water productivity |
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