Saline Water & Food Systems

Salinisation is rapidly becoming one of the biggest challenges to food production worldwide. Salt-affected soils occur naturally, for example in arid and semi-arid areas with little precipitation. In coastal regions and deltas, salinity intrusion driven by tidal dynamics and sea level rise is increasingly affecting agricultural production. Salinity severely affects crop development and growth, threatening food security, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of millions of people around the world.

An integrated approach

Responses to salinity depend on the local context and can range from mitigation (e.g. preventing salinity intrusion) to adaptation (e.g. cultivating salt-tolerant crops). The Netherlands has a solid and promising position in both areas, largely based on interventions implemented in the coastal zone of the country. In addition, the Netherlands is internationally known for its integrated approach to water management and sustainable food systems. It is important to have a good understanding of local conditions and to address salinity in an integrated and systematic way.

Core activities

The SW&FS Partnership consists of knowledge institutes, a diverse range of businesses including innovative SMEs, and experts operating locally.

The Partnership primarily stimulates collaboration between Dutch partners with an international focus on salinity. We strategically align with organisations and new initiatives that address salinity in the Netherlands, as solid collaboration in the Netherlands is a starting point for showcasing the Partnership’s expertise and ambitions abroad.

The Partnership prioritises the following activities:

• Stimulate coordination and cooperation between Dutch organisations at the interface of water and agriculture, building on existing networks, organisations, and individuals working on salinity.
• Share knowledge and information (highlighting project examples and compiling an overview of measures to address salinity) through meetings and online platforms.
• Inform and influence international policy and research agendas.
• Initiate and support new research, implementation of projects and collaborative activities. NFP and NWP have supported partners by investing time and/or small amounts of funds (‘seed money’).
• Develop a joint and coherent vision in dealing with salinity. A joint vision and clear approach to research, innovation, pilot projects, and scalable solutions, support the profiling and implementation of programmes in emerging economies and developing countries.

Creating impact

NWP works to create a greater impact by initiating new research and collaborations that lead to the implementation of projects in LMICs. The SW&FS Partnership makes an important contribution to achieving SDG 2: Zero Hunger, and SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

The SW&FS Partnership is entering its next phase with the launch of the Salinity Country Partnership Initiative. This initiative aims to support the development and implementation of integrated salinity programmes in countries where salinisation poses a significant challenge to agriculture, water management and food security. The first focus countries are Senegal, Egypt, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

NWP combines organisational skills with a broad network of expertise. Together, these form a strong recipe for cross-sectoral collaboration and knowledge exchange. If you are looking for ways to empower local organisations and build on the collective knowledge of saline water and food systems through Dutch expertise, contact us.