Three Seed Money Projects on salinity have been granted

In Bangladesh, the ‘Resilient Roots: Leveraging Indigenous Practices for Salinity Adaptation in Southern Bangladesh’ project will be implemented by the Center of People and Environ, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Free University of Amsterdam) and Krisoker Sor (Farmers’ Voice).

In Senegal, the AfricaRice and MetaMeta consortium will investigate salinity-affected rice cultivation. 

In Mozambique, a project on agroforestry interventions and training for salt-affected soils will start. It will be run by a consortium consisting of ASSAMBA, ABIODES, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique Institute of Agricultural Research, Weltweit e.V., The Salt Doctors, and the Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam.

These projects are part of a broader effort to address salinity in low and middle-income countries and will foster collaboration between the Dutch water and agrifood sectors. Read short descriptions of the three projects below.

Resilient Roots: Leveraging Indigenous Practices for Salinity Adaptation in Southern Bangladesh

Salinity poses a grave threat to agriculture and livelihoods in coastal Bangladesh, impacting approximately 1.5 million hectares of arable land. High salinity levels, often exceeding 4 dS/m, severely reduce rice yields, degrade soil, and drive economic losses and migration. The project aims to develop a climate-resilient agricultural supply chain by harnessing indigenous knowledge and practices to adapt agricultural systems to salinity. These include indigenous tools, practices, crop types, and varieties suitable for salinity adaptation. The project will also evaluate the indigenous practices' socio-economic, ecological, and cultural feasibility; and develop a bankable project proposal to scientifically validate, pilot, and scale these practices while providing policy input and strengthening local partnerships. 

The project will be led by a consortium comprising the Center of People and Environ (CPE), Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam (VU), and Krisoker Sor (Farmers’ Voice). The implementation will take place in three climate-vulnerable locations: Koyra, Khulna (salinity, cyclones, and storm surges); Bhandaria, Pirojpur (waterlogging, salinity, cyclones, and storm surges); and, Hatiya, Noakhali (tidal inundation, salinity, waterlogging). The project will adopt a participatory, evidence-based approach that includes Screening (reviewing existing databases and engaging with local communities to identify relevant indigenous practices); Assessment (field surveys and stakeholder consultations to evaluate the effectiveness and suitability of identified practices); and, Dissemination and Proposal Formulation (create informational materials and draft a proposal for scaling up successful practices). The project will promote sustainable agriculture, facilitate knowledge sharing, support policy advocacy by focusing on indigenous practices, and create a replicable model for enhancing resilience in salinity-affected areas. 

Integrated Soil Salinity Management in rice-based cropping systems in the Senegal River Valley (ISSM4RICE) delta

Soil salinisation, the most prevalent form of soil degradation in the Senegal River Valley, severely limits rice yields. This undermines agricultural productivity, devalues land, and threatens Senegal's food security. Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) and MetaMeta are pleased to announce their partnership to implement a six-month project on integrated soil salinity management in rice-based cropping systems in the Senegal River Valley.

The project will run from July to December 2024 and build upon AfricaRice's extensive experience in integrated soil salinity management in rice-based cropping systems in the region. This initiative focuses on joint learning to raise awareness and strengthen the capacity for cost-effective farm solutions for salinity.

The project consists of three key work packages designed to address the critical issue of soil salinity in irrigated rice production systems. The first work package involves demonstrations of integrated salinity management options through farmer field schools that focus on practical applications and increase awareness to help farmers and extension services apply adaptive salinity management technologies. The second work package focuses on knowledge co-creation to compile a comprehensive knowledge product that gives an overview of practical and effective salinity technologies specific to the Senegal River Valley. The third work package is dedicated to capacity strengthening through exchange visits and stakeholder facilitation sessions to enhance dialogue and learning among various stakeholders.

Mozambican Saline Agriculture Research and Practice: Agroforestry Solutions and Training Development (MoSARP)

Eastern Africa faces severe agricultural challenges because of soil and water salinization. Its long coastline make the effects of salinity particularly severe in Mozambique, and excessive land clearance is exacerbating land degradation. While initial saline agriculture efforts have focused on classic approaches such as salt-tolerant crops and improved soil/water management, there is a pressing need for more comprehensive solutions that harness the whole spectrum of agroecological management solutions adapted to coastal agricultural systems. At the same time, despite the severity of the salinity problem, Mozambique still lacks a consistent institutional approach – including policy, education, and research – to address the issue.
 

The MoSARP project will address these knowledge and action gaps by focusing on two key aspects: (1) identifying agroforestry solutions adapted to salt-affected coastal lowland environments, and (2) developing saline agriculture training curricula suited to the Mozambican context. MoSARP builds on previous saline agriculture initiatives in the country, bundling the expertise of diverse actors from the Mozambican, Dutch, and European research and development sectors. Through a concerted effort, the consortium, consisting of ASSAMBA, ABIODES, Eduardo Mondlane University, the Mozambique Institute of Agricultural Research, Weltweit e.V., The Salt Doctors, and Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam, is sounding out opportunities for future long-term collaboration. At the same time, the involvement of external experts and institutions will allow for the best possible knowledge transfer and supra-regional scaling and collaboration. Key activities include (a) a set of topical workshops assessing the state of the art for agroforestry solutions adapted to salt-affected coastal lowland environments, combined with establishing a respective pilot field trial, and (b) mapping of international and local saline agriculture initiatives and integrating these topics in the educational landscape, followed by designing a topical training concept. 

Saline Water & Food Systems

Saline Water & Food Systems (SW&FS) is a multi-stakeholder partnership that stimulates collaboration between the Dutch water and agrifood sectors to address the challenge of salinity in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The partnership consists of knowledge institutes, diverse members of the business community such as innovative SMEs, and experts operating on the ground. It is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality.