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Lowland Development for Irrigation
The vast lowlands and peatlands of Indonesia are essential to the country’s agricultural productivity and food sovereignty ambitions. However, these areas face complex water management challenges including flooding, acid sulphate soils, low fertility, and saline intrusion. Where peatlands have been drained for agriculture, challenges are compounded by land subsidence, fires, and carbon emissions, threatening productivity and ecological stability. Increasing lowland food productivity is a government priority. Therefore, Indonesia is implementing comprehensive rehabilitation strategies for tidal and non-tidal lowland areas through participatory irrigation management systems. These systems are built on five pillars: water supply reliability, infrastructure development, effective irrigation management, institutional frameworks, and human resource capacity.
The Netherlands and Indonesia have built a valuable partnership in lowland development and irrigation since the first MoU signing. This collaboration, mainly focused in South Sumatra and Kalimantan, has developed expertise in data collection, mapping, governance, and technical innovations. Currently, the collaboration focuses on enhancing productivity through improved water management in existing lowland areas. It offers the Dutch water sector opportunities to exchange knowledge and expertise, particularly through intergenerational knowledge transfer, and to provide monitoring and technical support for water management and infrastructure solutions.
Dadahup
In the degraded polder area of Dadahup, Central Kalimantan, Indonesian and Dutch experts have been working together since 2021 to rehabilitate 25,000 hectares of lowland agricultural land. The project began with a request from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing for a second opinion on water management and flood protection. Dutch expertise has supported the development of practical solutions tailored to the local context, such as a simplified system for dry and rainy seasons. The current phase focuses on human resource development through hands-on training and knowledge transfer. Partners include IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, The Indonesian Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR), the Netherlands Enterprise and Development Agency (RVO) and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
Partners for Water is a Dutch government programme enhancing water security internationally in long-term cooperation with local partners and the Dutch water sector. By facilitating strategic planning and support in the early stages of innovation, the programme aims to contribute to systemic change for sustainable water management and infrastructure. This is how we initiate impactful changes for a better living environment.
