Water & Agrifood

Despite its small size, the Netherlands is the world’s second largest exporter of fruit and vegetables. One of the key factors behind this success is its expertise in water management and agriculture, including in greenhouse cultivation. NWP helps create opportunities for the Dutch water and agriculture sectors to make an impact internationally and boost food security worldwide. To this end, NWP plays a pivotal role in matchmaking between experts in the Dutch water and agriculture sectors and organisations seeking to increase crop yields in regions with unreliable water supplies or salinised land.

Impact-driven alliances

NWP connects the water and agribusiness sectors to address the complex challenges revolving the water-food security nexus. A key element of this work  is the establishment of partnerships and collaborations with leading organisations working on the links between water and food security.

One such partner is the Netherlands Food Partnership (NFP), with which NWP works closely as co-conveners of the Saline Water & Food Systems Partnership. This initiative, established in 2022, aims to strengthen the cooperation of organisations working on saline water and food systems to address the challenge of salinity in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. The Partnership consists of knowledge institutes, a broad range of the business community including innovative SMEs, and local experts. It is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature.

More recently, NWP and NFP partnered with SALTA, a Dutch knowledge cluster on salinisation. SALTA focusses on addressing the threat that salinisation poses to freshwater availability along the Dutch coast. Through SALTA’s Working Group on International Cooperation, in which NWP participates, we aim to support Dutch parties tackling salinity challenges in pursuing their international ambitions.

Food security goes beyond reducing soil salinisation. It requires sustainable food production, developing resilient food systems where water is used responsibly. In partnership with Dutch Greenhouse Delta, we bring together Dutch expertise in water management and greenhouse horticulture with the ambition to optimise and maximise the Netherlands’ offering in water-scarce regions.

In addition, NWP hosts the Secretariat of the Nutrient Platform which works to close the nutrient cycle and create a sustainable market for recycled nutrients. Businesses, knowledge institutes and government organisations work together to promote nutrient recycling and develop markets for recycled nutrients.

Let’s collaborate

At NWP, we understand that complex challenges are best addressed through a multistakeholder approach. Uniting knowledge and expertise from the water and agrifood sectors, we aim to catalyse innovation and integrated solutions tailored to local contexts. If you want to learn more about the work that we do under the water and agrifood nexus and would like to explore possibilities for collaboration, contact us.