SW&FS partnership: Tackling salinity around the world

Salinity Transition Approach for Progress (STAP)

Salinity in agriculture is an increasing global challenge. Addressing this requires integrated solutions that link soil, water, and food systems. In 2023, Deltares, Wageningen Environmental Research, and The Salt Doctors developed the Salinity Transition Approach for Progress (STAP) with SW&FS Partnership support. The stepwise framework combines the Food Systems Approach and Strategic Water Systems Planning. It offers policymakers, practitioners, and investors a practical tool to identify actions and design projects in salinity-affected areas.

To refine and validate the framework, it was applied to a hypothetical case study in Bangladesh at a workshop with 11 experts from partners in the SW&FS Partnership. The exercise demonstrated how STAP can support integrated planning at both farm and national levels. Its equal weighting of water, soil, salinity, and food proved particularly valuable, as all four components are critical in saline contexts. Following positive feedback, STAP has been shared internationally. It can now serve as a tool for interdisciplinary projects addressing water and agriculture challenges in saline regions.

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Regenerative farming and digital tools for salinity control in Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan

Salinisation of water and soil threatens agricultural productivity and livelihoods in arid and semi-arid areas. Supported by the SW&FS Partnership, Nectaerra, FarmTree, and Wageningen University & Research, all Dutch organisations, assessed how regenerative practices could help farmers in Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan manage salinity. In 2023, six farms were studied to evaluate the impact of various regenerative measures. The project also tested a new salinity module called the FarmTree Tool (FTT). This digital decision-support tool is designed to support agroforestry planning and implementation by projecting different scenarios and their impacts. The new module was designed to forecast the effects of regenerative practices on crop performance under saline conditions.

Field data and FTT predictions showed that regenerative practices improved yields and crop resilience under saline conditions – confirming their value for climate-smart farming. While the FTT aligned with field data on overall improvements, the tool turned out to be more reliable for assessing regenerative practices at larger scales than for detailed predictions at farm level in semi-arid regions. Building on these results, the partners recommend scaling regenerative practices, collecting more field data, and further adapting the FTT to support policy design and decision-making. The project showed that combining regenerative farming and digital validation tools offers promising pathways for salinity control and resilient agriculture.

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Saline agriculture and halophyte agri-ecologies in Turkana, Kenya

Across East Africa, saline agriculture and land rehabilitation are gaining ground as climate pressures intensify. In Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique, The Salt Doctors and Seawater Solutions have worked on training farmers and piloting new approaches for more than six years. Building on this experience, the SW&FS Partnership supported a regional cluster conference in Turkana County, hosted at the World Food Programme office, in 2023. The event gathered representatives from government, UN agencies, NGOs, universities, and the private sector to exchange knowledge, visit field sites, and co-design new initiatives.

Over three days, the programme combined workshops, training, and practical assessments. Participants tested local water sources, which showed salinity levels of between 0.4 and 5.8 dS/m and pH values of up to 9.6. These measurements underlined both opportunities and challenges for crop production. The meeting led to the first draft of a county strategy and the creation of a working group of 30 stakeholders, convened by the Minister of Agriculture, to develop pilot projects and strengthen public-private collaboration. The next steps will focus on water and climate-smart farming in regional refugee camps. These pilots are expected to act as a roadmap for scaling saline agriculture in other regions.

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Dealing with the global challenges of salinisation

Salinisation of water and soil threatens global food security, livelihoods, and ecosystems. To raise awareness and mobilise action, the SW&FS Partnership launched the Global Campaign on Salinisation in 2023. As part of this effort, Wageningen Environmental Research produced a report and infographic on the drivers and challenges of, and solutions to, rising salinity worldwide. This initiative was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, and the SW&FS Partnership. Case studies from Bangladesh, Egypt, Pakistan, Argentina, Bahrain, and the Aral Sea basin illustrate how salinity impacts vary across contexts and point to region-specific solutions.

The report shows that salinisation must be tackled through integrated approaches that go beyond agriculture. Food systems should be linked to water management practices that serve both people and ecosystems. Climate change adds a layer of urgency and complexity. The findings underline that strong governance and effective policies are essential. Ultimately, by combining prevention with adaptation strategies, countries can protect food security and build resilience to salinisation challenges.

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Strengthening the onion value chain in Senegal

Onions are a key ingredient in the Senegalese cuisine, but the local supply does not meet demand. The Niayes region is the country’s most important onion producing area. However, the region struggles with poor cultivation and storage practices, limited access to inputs, and the increasing salinity of land and water. To explore how Dutch expertise could support improvement, Delphy, The Salt Doctors, and MEYS Emerging Markets Research organised a scoping mission in 2022 with SW&FS Partnership support.

The mission’s objective was to explore the potential for setting up an Impact Cluster – part of a subsidy programme from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) – with local partners to strengthen Senegal’s onion value chain. It identified opportunities to support farmer organisations, improve crop management, and invest in storage to reduce post-harvest losses. APMK, a farmers’ association in Kayar, and ENSA, part of the University of Thiès, expressed interest in collaboration, while Dutch growers offered technical support. These insights led to the launch of the Impact Cluster Onion Farming for the Future, which now brings together nine Senegalese and Dutch partners. The project is already improving yields and farmers’ incomes through training, climate-smart practices, and better soil and water management.

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Resilient Roots: Leveraging indigenous practices for salinity adaptation in Southern Bangladesh

In coastal Bangladesh, rising salinity is increasingly threatening agriculture and rural livelihoods. The Resilient Roots project set out to identify indigenous farming practices, crop varieties, and traditional tools originating from three salinity-affected coastal regions: Shyamnagar, Hatia, and Banaripara. The aim was to document these indigenous approaches and assess their potential for wider use. The project also evaluated the feasibility of these practices from socio-economic, ecological, and cultural perspectives. A proposal was developed to validate, scale up, and embed successful solutions through partnerships and policy support.

The project combined surveys, focus groups, case studies, and lab analyses to assess local salinity challenges and indigenous practices in the three regions. The key results were the identification of three salt-tolerant vegetables with high potential for scaling up: gima, kolui, andtorul. Farmers also shared indigenous practices and techniques such as floating farming (Dhap Krishi), protective barriers (Kaite Bera), using cow dung for seed protection (Gobre Beej), and many more. These indigenous practices show strong potential for climate adaptation. However, further research and policy support are needed to scale up and safeguard these locally rooted solutions. Find out more about the Resilient Roots project via this link. The report of the Resilient Roots project in Bangladesh, carried out by the Center for People and Environ, Farmers Voices, and the Free University of Amsterdam (VU) is available here.

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

Soil salinisation is the most pressing form of land degradation in the Senegal River Valley. It significantly threatens rice yields and food security. In response, the ISSM4RICE project promoted integrated soil salinity management in rice-based systems. The initiative focused on joint learning and capacity building to help farmers and extension workers agents adopt cost-effective, adaptive solutions. Activities strengthened practical knowledge and stimulated dialogue among stakeholders. The project also delivered a knowledge product that lays the groundwork for scaling up effective salinity management across the region.

Over 260 farmers and 90 extension agents were trained through Farmer Field Schools across four villages. The hands-on sessions introduced salt-tolerant rice varieties, nutrient management strategies, and improved cultivation practices. Capacity was further strengthened through classroom training and field visits on salinity causes, impacts, assessment, and adaptation. A set of eight French-language manuals was co-developed and shared via MetaMeta’s website, providing practical guidance on salinity management. The project highlighted the value of combining agronomic and community-based approaches and fostered ongoing Dutch-Senegalese collaboration on salinity solutions. Find out more about the ISSM4RICE project via this link. The full report is available via this link. 

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

Mozambique’s coastal regions are increasingly being affected by soil and water salinisation. This has already led to severe land degradation. To address this, the MoSARP project brought together Mozambican, Dutch, and international partners to develop a roadmap for saline-resilient agriculture. The project focused on identifying locally relevant, scalable agroforestry-based solutions for salt-affected coastal farming systems. It also aimed to design a training module tailored to the Mozambican context and which would foster long-term collaboration between local and international actors working on salinity.

The project launched two field pilots in distinct saline landscapes to test adaptive agroforestry practices. Knowledge exchange was facilitated through webinars and workshops involving stakeholders from research, education, NGOs, government, private organisations, and farming communities. An integrated training module was co-designed for students, knowledge institutes, extension workers, and other stakeholders to embed saline agriculture into Mozambique’s educational programmes. MoSARP also fostered new international collaborations. For instance, a research partnership on salinity in rice paddy soils was established between the Mozambique Institute of Agricultural Research (IIAM), Eduardo Mondlane University, and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. IIAM also explored collaboration on soil spectroscopy and agroforestry with the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF). These are just a few examples of the partnerships sparked by MoSARP. To support ongoing regional exchange, a Saline Agriculture working group was established on the Action Network Worldwide platform. Find out more about the MoSARP project via this link. The full report is available via this link. 

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 Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality. Read more