The current state of irrigated agricultural land in Ukraine

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to present the results of research on the current state of irrigated agricultural land and the database created on the basis of their analysis. Research methods. A set of general scientific methods and approaches of empirical and theoretical knowledge is applied: abstract-logical, systemic approach, statistical, monographic, complex analysis, generalization. Research results. Almost 19 million hectares of arable land require constant irrigation, and 4.8 million hectares require water regulation. In 2020-2021, irrigation was carried out only on an area of about 550,000 hectares. In 2014–2017, there was a decrease in the land that was actually irrigated, from 0.51 million ha to 0.46 million ha, or by 9.8%. But since 2018 (0.46 million hectares), the amount of irrigated land began to grow, and in 2020, the largest area was irrigated - 0.55 million hectares. The area harvested on irrigated land is growing every year. From 2014 to 2020, the area under grain and leguminous crops increased the most, by 84% to 188.5 thousand hectares. The database of the current state of irrigated lands contains 25 directories and a terminological dictionary, access to which is organized through hyperlinks in the main menu of the database. Conclusions. 1. One of the priority directions is the timely survey and reconnaissance of the state of lands, their monitoring, the use of land cadastre data, conducting land inventories, developing projects for the organization of the territory, involving in the economic turnover land that has not been granted ownership and use, and those that are in the most depressed territories, irrigation projects in arid regions and drainage projects of the most frequently flooded and inundated territories. 2. The global climate changes that have occurred affect changes in the methods and modes of irrigation of agricultural crops, which in turn causes an increase in the anthropogenic load on the soil. In addition to climatic changes and the consequences of anthropogenic intervention, the military actions of the aggressor country cause catastrophic damage to the entire agro-melioration complex of Southern Ukraine. It will be possible to investigate the consequences and assess the extent of the damage caused only after the de-occupation of the territory.