FINAL REPORT

In recent years, access to irrigation water has become the most critical issue limiting further
expansion of crop farming in the Buyant River Delta. Even though the sown area is much less
today than in the socialist period, irrigation water has become scarce. The main reasons are:
• no more water management: inefficient channels and ditches with much water being
lost and wastefulflooding techniques (see Photos 5-8)
• decay of Janjin Booltheadwork, no more storage of water in times of abundance
• rising demand for water in the aimag center (Jargalant sum) where population has
increased significantly since 1990; on the territory of Jargalant sum, new channels to
irrigate tree plantations and farmland have been built upstream at Bugat Uzuur,
leading to a decrease of Buyant River water run-off downstream
• decreasing precipitation and increasing temperatures and evapotranspiration in the
vegetation period leads to increased irrigation need
• extension of cultivation of irrigation intensive vegetables (see Tab. 4)
Crop
Amount of irrigation
Onions 3-4
Garlic 3-4
Cereals 4
Carrots 4-5
Turnip 4-5
Potatoes 5-6
Cabbage 10
Cucumbers 10
Tomatoes 10
Melons 15
Table 4:Frequency of Crop Irrigation
Source: Survey results June 2006
Farmers from Khovd sum complain that since there is not anymore organized water
distribution and retention at the Janjin Boolt headwork, at least 70% of the water runs to
Photo by J. Janzen, October 2006
Photo 9: Janjin Boolt under Reconstruction, October
2006
Buyant sum, although at present more
farmland is cultivated in Khovd sum
than in Buyant sum. According to
Khovd sum’s farmers, before the decay
of the headwork, the distribution of
water was equal. But farmers and the
administration from Buyant sum are
reluctant to agree to an equal
distribution of water. During cultivation
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