The study tour programme was arranged by Peter Prins, independent agri and food expert, and NWP. Prins also accompanied the delegation on its field and company visits. The delegation talked to drainage experts throughout the Netherlands and visited a Climate Adaptive Drainage set-up in Haaksbergen; the Farmer, Beer, Water project in Lieshout; and was invited by the Aa en Maas water board (winner of the best government body this year) to discuss governance and organisational issues. All aspects of subsurface drainage were covered in the compact study tour which was also aimed at increasing Dutch private sector involvement in the drainage sector in Egypt.
During the study tour, a follow-up mission to Egypt started to take shape and DRI, EPADP and private sector parties from the Netherlands and Egypt committed to working on a scoping mission to identify possible subsurface drainage pilot projects in the Western Delta. This follow-up mission will probably take place before the year’s end. To be continued.
For more information, please contact Sabrina Doetjes, s.doetjes@nwp.nl or Daniël van Dijk, d.vandijk@nwp.nl.
