The Welang River in East Java, Indonesia, is a vital resource for the nearby communities providing water for daily use and supporting local agriculture. However, as cities expand and populations grow, the river has faced increasing problems such as flooding, erosion and pollution. In response, the Governments of Indonesia and the Netherlands, through its Partners for Water programme have initiated the Welang River Basin Transformation Project to tackle these challenges and protect both the river and the people who depend on it.

The Welang River in East Java, Indonesia, is a lifeline for the people who live nearby, providing water for daily use and supporting local agriculture. However, as cities expand and populations grow, the river has faced increasing problems such as flooding, erosion, and pollution. In response, the Governments of Indonesia and the Netherlands invest in the Welang River Basin Transformation Project to tackle these challenges and protect both the river and the people who depend on it.

The project is built around a central idea: collaboration. Local communities, government officials, and environmental experts are all working together to develop smart water management solutions that address the river’s problems. What makes this project unique is its focus on local ownership by involving everyone in the process, ensuring that solutions are created by listening to the needs and ideas of the people who live near the river.

The Welang River Project adopts a collaborative, step-by-step approach to co-create practical and sustainable solutions that meet community needs. It begins by engaging with local residents to understand their issues, such as flooding or limited access to clean water. With these insights, local residents, government officials, and experts work together to develop solutions. After initial testing, community feedback is used to refine these ideas, enhancing their effectiveness. The final, improved solutions are then implemented in coordination with government plans to ensure they can be scaled for broader impact.

Miniseries on the Welang River Basin project

This is the first article in the miniseries on the Welang River Basin project, highlighting the role of youth in sustainable waste management. Below you can find the links to other articles in the series:

Article 1: The role of trusted advisors
Article 2: Practical implementation of Nature-Based Solutions
Article 3: Empowering youth for sustainable waste mangement
Article 4: A participatory design approach

From 21 October to 1 November, representatives from 196 countries gathered in Cali, Colombia for COP16 on Biological Diversity. Together, they discussed progress and the protection of global biodiversity.

The Netherlands made an active contribution with its own pavilion, hosted by Partners for Water, where new insights, lessons and collaborations emerged on biodiversity, water, food, landscape-based approaches and greening finance. Keep reading to discover the key insights from two weeks of dynamic discussions.

Insights from the Netherlands Pavilion at COP16

The Netherlands Pavilion emerged as a dynamic hub where greening finance, the water-biodiversity-food nexus, and landscape-based solutions for bio-cultural diversity seamlessly came together. Throughout the week, engaging discussions and workshops generated fresh insights and fostered valuable collaborations. A significant milestone was reached when the WWF and the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, pledging to promote Nature-based Solutions (NBS) across Europe to tackle both climate change and biodiversity loss.

The Netherlands Water Envoy Meike van Ginneken visited the Netherlands Pavilion and highlighted the importance of bridging the gaps between different practitioners in the water, biodiversity and food sectors. A key insight? True capacity building happens when we openly discuss challenges, share practical lessons learned, and collaborate on solutions. When we move beyond presentation mode to problem-solving mode, we create lasting impact. “Landscape binds people, binds knowledge, binds nature.” – the Netherlands Water Envoy Meike van Ginneken

The Netherlands Pavilion welcomed UN Youth Representatives on Biodiversity, who shared their insights on their work at COP. Find out what they have to say in the video below.

COP16’s key insights on biodiversity, water, food and more

Finance and biodiversity
At COP16’s Netherlands Pavilion, the message was clear: If we want to see real change, we need to think beyond traditional funding models. While public funding alone can’t solve biodiversity challenges, blending public and private investments opens new possibilities for nature. For instance, government and philanthropic support can help reduce risks for private investors, though new financial structures are still evolving. “Public funding alone is insufficient to tackle the biodiversity challenge. Blended finance is key to unlocking private investment for nature.” – Caroline Van Leenders, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)

Value chains and biodiversity
The dialogue on value chains at COP16 challenged conventional thinking. Rather than hard contracts, experts advocated for soft approaches. A communal vision emerged to push towards localised food systems. Rather than maintaining the status quo of global supply chains, the focus should shift to celebrating and protecting local diversity while sharing risks across the entire value chains.

Biodiversity assessment tools
ASN Bank’s portfolio analysis revealed unexpected insights about groundwater impact, highlighting a crucial lesson: assessment tools can uncover hidden environmental impacts, encouraging organisations to begin measuring their biodiversity footprint. A key message that emerged: starting with available information is better than waiting for complete datasets. “Don’t wait for perfect data to measure biodiversity impact. Even with limited data, you can start assessing with what you have.” – Lucian Peppelenbos, Robeco

Localised landscape restoration
“Return on Inspiration (ROI) is where landscape restoration begins,” noted Willem Ferwerda from Commonland, reflecting the belief that local communities must believe in a better future to make restoration succeed. He emphasised that true change requires a 20-year commitment. A key insight? An area-based approach is essential; let nature define the project’s scale while ensuring long-term stakeholder engagement. “If you truly want to regenerate landscapes, focus on the most degraded areas rather than those that are easy to showcase success with.” – Daan Groot, Nature Squared

Indigenous knowledge, water and biodiversity
Ancient wisdom offers modern solutions, as demonstrated by the Zenu case study where historical canal systems combat flooding while supporting agriculture and aquaculture. These discussions at COP16 highlighted how traditional practices can effectively restore biodiversity and water systems, and repeatedly highlighted the power of collective thinking over individual approaches. Indigenous voices are crucial guides in our journey towards better biodiversity management; their perspective isn’t just valuable – it’s essential for creating lasting change.

Liliane Geerling from Partners for Water discussed incorporating Indigenous knowledge into landscape-based approaches with various experts present at COP16. Watch the video below to learn more.

“Like salsa dancing in Cali – the world’s salsa capital –, COP16 was all about making meaningful connections!” – Martine van Weelden, Capitals Coalition

Moving forward with nature

COP16 demonstrated that protecting biodiversity requires long-term commitment, collective thinking, and innovative funding models. As shown at the Netherlands Pavilion, success lies in bridging sectors, incorporating indigenous knowledge and turning discussions into action. “The way forward is not through war but through working with the other party,” emphasized Colombia’s Minister of Environment Susana Muhamad. So let’s start working together with nature to create a water, food and biodiversity-secure future.

Watch the recap video for a glimpse of the vibrant atmosphere.

As a child, Ylva Veldhuis dreamed of working for the Red Cross, helping people in crisis zones. “I always imagined myself in crisis situations offering relief and making a difference for people in need,” she recalls. But as her career progressed, her focus shifted from immediate response to prevention and long-term solutions. Today, in her role at Partners for Water, she works on sustainable systems and methods that aim to prevent crises altogether. Nice to meet you Ylva!

From theory to practice: hydrology and asset management

Ylva’s passion for disaster prevention led her to study Earth Sciences, followed by a master’s degree in Earth, Surface & Water at Utrecht University, where she specialised in hydrology. “I found that water management and understanding systems came naturally to me,” she explains. Her internship at Rijkswaterstaat (the executive agency of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) allowed her to bridge the gap between academic theory and practical application. There, she researched seepage along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. “I went out to speak with farmers about their experiences, which helped me connect theory to real-world challenges,” she says.

Learning from experience: risk management in South Limburg

Following her internship, Ylva took on a traineeship at Rijkswaterstaat. One of her first assignments involved risk management and water safety in South Limburg. It was during this period that the devastating floods in Valkenburg occurred. “It was heartbreaking to witness, but incredibly insightful. Everything I had learned about risk management came into play,” she reflects.

From crisis response to crisis prevention

In her final assignment at Rijkswaterstaat, Ylva was tasked with community building to tackle drinking water crises as part of the Departmental Coordination Centre for Crisis Management. This role paved the way for her next move to the Dutch Risk Reduction Team at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. Here, she found a perfect blend of her childhood dream combined with her academic background in water management: working internationally, crisis coordination and responding to natural disasters.

International collaboration: learning from global perspectives

At Partners for Water, Ylva had the chance to focus on international collaboration and long-term solutions. She began by organising international events such as the Singapore International Water Week and the World Water Forum in Bali. “It’s incredibly inspiring to meet people with such diverse challenges and ideas, but all with the same goal: making the world more sustainable through water management. I loved creating a space at the Dutch Pavilion where people felt welcome and at home,” she shares.

Sustainable solutions: Nature-based Solutions and asset management

Ylva’s work now centres on a thematic approach to Nature-based Solutions (NBS) together with Matthijs Zijlmans. She and her colleague Tamar Meibergen are also working on the Build Neglect Repair Cycle, a programme designed to ensure the long-term maintenance of water infrastructure is planned from the start. “It’s not just about building something; it’s about making sure it’s maintained over the long term. Without proper maintenance, even the most impressive dykes or mangroves are only temporary fixes,” Ylva explains.

Collaboration and making an impact

One of the aspects Ylva values most at Partners for Water is the opportunity to work with equally passionate and more experienced colleagues. “Collaborating on both Nature-based Solutions and the Build Neglect Repair Cycle has given me so many new insights. I’m constantly learning and gaining a better understanding of how we can make a lasting impact,” she says.

The future: aiming for systemic change

In the coming years, Ylva hopes to contribute to systemic change, where long-term solutions become the standard. “I want us to take significant steps and open doors to discussions about different alternatives and measures. The key is to find what works best for the long term,” she explains. Ylva believes these efforts will lead to meaningful, structural shifts in the way we manage water resources. With her technical expertise, practical experience, and forward-thinking approach, Ylva Veldhuis is set to play a crucial role in the success of Partners for Water.

With the Human series, we showcase the people who are involved in and benefit from the Partners for Water projects. The Human series sheds light on the stories of the people with whom and for whom Partners for Water works and on how water affects their lives. Discover how Rob Goodliffe’s love for water has inspired him to help preserve the coastline for future generations.

Meet Rob Goodliffe

In this Humans of Partners for Water series, we introduce Rob Goodliffe, the Coastal Transition Manager for North Norfolk District Council. Growing up in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in East Anglia, England, he experienced first-hand the powerful sea and vulnerable coastline, which profoundly shaped his life and career.

A lifelong connection to the sea

For Rob Goodliffe, the sea has always been a source of wonder. He has long been fascinated by how the moon and sun can move vast volumes of water twice daily—a phenomenon he describes as “absolutely incredible.” Growing up in North Norfolk, he became acutely aware at a young age of the coastline’s vulnerability. After storms, he would rush to the beach, where the sand had been swept away, revealing coins, fossils and other treasures washed ashore.

These early experiences shaped his career path. Today, he serves as the Coastal Transition Manager for North Norfolk District Council, focusing on preparing for storms and managing their aftermath to protect the fragile coastline.

“Water means a great deal. It has always fascinated me, especially the sea here.”

The devastating North Sea storm surge of 2013 significantly impacted the coast, flooding many homes and destroying others in the wake of powerful waves. In response, Rob and his team developed a sandscaping project inspired by the Dutch technique known as zandmotor. They deposited 1.8 million cubic meters of sand along key beaches to raise sea levels, protect coastal defences and safeguard infrastructure and homes from unrelenting waves. By building a digital twin, they gained a comprehensive understanding of how the sand they had placed has shifted and moved.

Through these efforts, Rob aims to preserve the coastline for future generations while dedicating his life and work to his passion for water.

The Waterproof Podcast

Waterproof is the Partners for Water podcast that travels the globe sharing uplifting stories about how today’s water crises are being tackled through smart ideas, local knowledge and international partnerships. Hosted by water expert Tracy Metz, Waterproof delves into crucial water themes with local and international experts, researchers, practitioners and other water professionals.

How to listen: you can listen to the Waterproof podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and on this page.

• Save the Podcast on Spotify
• Save the Podcast on Apple Podcasts

Episode 11: Failing Forward

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison

What if failure is not something to avoid – but something we need to embrace? In this new episode of the Waterproof podcast, we explore how setbacks, unintended outcomes and imperfect solutions are an essential part of working on complex water challenges.

From projects that didn’t land as expected to innovations that revealed new insights along the way – this episode brings together perspectives from across the water sector on what it really means to learn by doing.

With contributions from Esther Shaylor (UNICEF), Zahid Amin Shashoto (Uttaran), Lindsey Schwidder (The Green Village) and Henk Ovink (Global Commission on the Economics of Water), we look at how openness about failure can lead to better, more resilient solutions. Because moving forward sometimes starts with looking back.

Episode 10: Wet Breakthroughs

What if cities could float? What if we could predict floods before they happen? Or even create water from air?

In this episode of our Waterproof podcast, we explore bold ideas and breakthrough innovations that could reshape how we live with water. From floating urban developments and digital twins that help predict floods, to new approaches to water governance and solutions that improve everyday lives.

Featuring insights from:
Rutger de Graaf (Blue 21) on the shift from fighting water to living on water
Mary Matthews (UNDP) on why governance and policy are the real innovations we need
Florian Witsenburg (Tygron Platform) on the role of data and digital twins in managing floods
Reuben Moore (Solaq) on trust and culture in adopting new water sources
Tanya Huizer (Asian Development Bank) on how the Laundry Transformation can improve women’s lives

Together, they show how technology, governance and social innovation can turn water challenges into opportunities.

Episode 9: Early Warning!

In this 9th episode of Waterproof, we explore early warning systems and the vital ‘last mile’ between data and people. From satellites and weather stations to AI and social media, technology can predict floods, droughts and extreme weather – but how do warnings reach farmers and city residents in time? Discover real-world stories from across the globe.

Featuring insights from Jurjen Wagemaker (⁠Floodtags⁠), Evelyn Aparicio Medrano (⁠FutureWater⁠), Dorien Lugt (⁠HKV⁠), Frank Annor (⁠TAHMO⁠) and Sindy Mthimkhulu (⁠INMACOM⁠), this episode shows why early warning is not just a technical challenge, but a human one.

Episode 8: The Indigenous Voice

How can age-old indigenous knowledge and modern science work together to tackle today’s water crises? In our latest Waterproof episode, host Tracy Metz explores why the answer is not one or the other, but both.

Recorded around Stockholm World Water Week 2025, this episode features powerful voices from indigenous water experts Yolanda López-Maldonado, Anna-Kari Kroik, KaiLei’a Durian and Milika Sobey, alongside Julia Watson, a landscape architect who writes about indigenous water wisdom. Together, they explain why indigenous knowledge systems are essential to addressing today’s water, climate and biodiversity challenges.

Episode 7: Drinkable Rivers, Swimmable Cities

In this Waterproof episode, we meet activists and campaigners who believe rivers and nature should have legal rights – just like people. They walk rivers, swim in urban waterways, write books, work with communities, and even take governments to court. And some of them even sing songs with the trees and the turtles. All with one goal: ensuring clean, healthy rivers and cities where people can swim safely.

Featuring this episode are Matt Sykes, Co-Founder of Swimmable Cities, Li An Phoa, Initiator of Drinkable Rivers,
author Robert MacFarlane, and Harpo ’t Hart, Artistic Director at Embassy of the North Sea.

Episode 6: From Financing Green to Greening Finance

Transitioning to a sustainable global economy requires integrating nature’s value into financial decision-making. By greening finance, we aim to recognise the multiple values of ecosystem services. When we account for these natural benefits, we can make better investment decisions that serve both business and environmental goals. Partners for Water collaborates with international financial institutions such as the World Bank to accelerate fundamental change in business and finance, driving the transition towards an economy that incorporates nature’s true value.

In the ‘From Financing Green to Greening Finance’ episode, you will explore ways to incorporate nature’s true value within water projects.

Episode 5: Nature’s Recipe: Water, Biodiversity and Food

Biodiversity is the cornerstone of all life on Earth. However, conventional water management and food production practices are leading to a rapid decline in global biodiversity, with our food production systems causing 70% of land-based biodiversity loss. Incorporating biodiversity as an integral part of water and food decision-making not only improves local and global ecosystems, but also strengthens the resilience of our food production systems, water infrastructure and economies. That’s why Partners for Water promotes biodiversity not as a ‘nice-to-have’ but as a core component in food and water decision-making.

In this ‘Water-Biodiversity-Food’ episode, you will learn various approaches and examples of incorporating biodiversity into water and food projects.

Episode 4: Build-Neglect-Repair-Repeat

Water management and infrastructure are essential for society as their operational durability directly impacts the resilience of livelihoods and economies. Despite their crucial role, proper operation and long-term maintenance are often overlooked, leading to the costly ‘Build-Neglect-Repair’ (BNR) cycle prevalent in the international water sector. Partners for Water recognises the urgent need to shift toward sustainable design, financing and management practices in water infrastructure and is committed to understanding the root causes of the BNR cycle and collaborating with partners to implement more sustainable practices.

In this ‘Build-Neglect-Repair-Repeat’ episode, you will explore various approaches and hear about international examples that promote lasting operation and maintenance of water management and infrastructure projects.

Episode 3: Locals in the Lead

Too often, water management and infrastructure solutions are developed based on assumptions about local communities’ needs, rather than through active listening to their concerns. This results in solutions that fail to foster local ownership and overlook valuable community knowledge, ultimately leading to unsustainable water projects. Working closely with local people and partners, incorporating both their needs and expertise,  is critical to the success of long-term water projects. Partners for Water encourages this approach through multidisciplinary methods and collaborative efforts with local communities and stakeholders.

In the episode on locally led development, you will explore various approaches and examples of locally led water projects, with Shahnoor Hasan from Deltares, Chris Zevenbergen from the TU Delft, Professor Kwasi Appeaning Addo from the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies in Ghana and Floris Boogaard from Hanze Hogeschool and Deltares.

Episode 2: The Salty Intruder

This second episode of Waterproof is all about “The Salty Intruder”. All over the world, arable land is becoming more and more saline, threatening farmers’ livelihoods and our food security. But there are smart, innovative people looking for solutions – and the Dutch are helping, for example with a new Virtual Reality game to teach farmers to plant salt tolerant crops.

In Egypt, where the Nile delta is getting saltier, farmers like Tariq el Arini are switching from water-intensive rice to saline loving potatoes. And Vietnam’s ‘Sokfarm’ has moved from coconut milk, ruined by salt, to coconut sugar, made from the sap of the flower. Even Dutch farmers are struggling to come to terms with the intruder. But then we meet Hans Elenbaas, who has harvested salty sea vegetables his whole life! And he loves it.

Episode 1: Let Nature Do It!

For centuries, the Dutch have been good at keeping the water out using increasingly engineered structures of concrete and steel like the Delta Works. And for years, they’ve exported that technology too. But times are changing. Macho dikes keep the water out, but they’re terrible for nature and biodiversity. The Dutch are – slowly – discovering that you can work with nature rather than against it. It’s called Nature Based Solutions and they work – in the Netherlands, in Ghana, basically everywhere. And that is why this week’s show is called: Let Nature Do It!

We speak with Bregje van Wesenbeeck, who is experimenting with willows and mangroves to see how they stand up to storms. Carel Nobbe of the Blue Deal says: first you have to make sure the people you’re working with are on board. Wetlands ecologist Emmanuel Nii Attram Taye from Ghana is working to save the mangrove forests that protect the coast. For the Netherlands, says Alex Hekman of NL2120, it’s both: Nature-based Solutions are essential, but always in combination with hard infrastructure.

The Waterproof Podcast – Trailer

How to listen: you can listen to the Waterproof podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and on this page.

• Save the Podcast on Spotify
• Save the Podcast on Apple Podcasts

In the heart of the coffee-growing region of Magdalena, the Netherlands and Colombia are combining forces to improve water efficiency and biodiversity conservation. This week, representatives from 196 countries including scientists, indigenous communities, business representatives and environment ministers are gathering in Cali, Colombia at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP). Agreements on progress and protection of biodiversity will be discussed extensively until 1 November.

Amid the many discussions, the collaborative partnership between the Netherlands and Colombia reflects a committed effort to promote biodiversity conservation, particularly in the coffee sector. One notable project, “Improving Water Efficiency in the Coffee Sector in the Magdalena Region” is funded by the Dutch government’s Partners for Water (PFW) programme and coordinated by AidEnvironment, a non-profit consultancy specialising in sustainable development and environmental conservation. AidEnvironment works in close partnership with the local Fundación Herencia Ambiental Caribe and Deltares, a Dutch research institute focused on water management, environmental sustainability and climate resilience.

The project

The “Improving Water Efficiency in the Coffee Sector in the Magdalena Region” project is implemented in Colombia’s key coffee-growing regions in the watersheds of the Aracataca. This is the birthplace of the famous writer and Nobel prize winner Gabriel García Márquez and is located in the Magdalena department by the Fundación rivers in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM) mountain range. The region covers 18,000 hectares of coffee farms comprising of over 5,000 small-scale farmers. The project aims to find a balance between the economic importance of coffee production and the need to preserve ecosystems downstream, including the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM), a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Since 1981, annual rainfall has steadily declined, resulting in water scarcity that poses a significant threat to both coffee farming and the biodiversity of the CGSM wetlands, which depend on reliable upstream water flows. The region’s traditional wet-processing methods pollute the water and place additional stress on both surface and groundwater resources.

Smallholder coffee farmers, who are vital to the local economy, are especially susceptible to these environmental shifts. Their limited financial resources further hinder their ability to adapt, making it more urgent to find affordable, locally tailored solutions. Keje Nagel, Coordinator of AidEnvironment, conducted extensive field research in various countries to understand the conditions and challenges that coffee farmers face, particularly around economic hardships and environmental degradation caused by coffee production. “It is essential,” he says in a video call from Colombia, “to create more circular agricultural systems that reduce environmental harm.”

The challenges

To tackle the challenges, Nagel explains that a two-phased approach will be implemented that actively engages coffee producers. In the first phase, “we will collaborate closely with local farmers to thoroughly understand their realities, challenges and the socio-cultural contexts. This will enable us to identify innovative water-saving and decontamination technologies specifically tailored to their needs and financial capabilities. Green filters for water purification will be explored, as well as other methods for reducing agrochemical use and innovative post-harvesting techniques for water-scarce conditions.

In the second phase, these technologies will be deployed on a pilot farm “to ensure they are both technically effective and culturally relevant”. Each farm will be treated as a micro-watershed, emphasising water retention, minimising runoff and enhancing soil health. By actively involving farmers in the implementation process and offering training in sustainable practices, the idea is to reduce dependencies on chemical inputs and optimise overall water management. A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework will track key indicators, including water availability, soil moisture and biodiversity health, allowing the long-term impact of these interventions to be assessed.

Reducing water consumption and nutrient runoff

Coffee is one of the key crops for soil conservation. However, coffee processing poses a risk of nutrient leakage, which can cause contamination when nutrient levels reach unnaturally high concentrations and end up in local rivers, contributing to water pollution. This occurs when nutrient-rich pulp and wastewater, used in washing the coffee cherries, are discharged into nearby rivers or streams. While this process may appear small, it leads to harmful nutrient peaks as piles of pulp partly end up in the water through rainfall. Nagel adds: “When these piles are left uncovered there is a significant risk of nutrient leakage which can cause serious damage to aquatic biodiversity. Fish and other species may struggle to survive in these altered environments.”

Maintaining nutrient flows and minimising external inputs such as fertilizers, is becoming increasingly expensive and unsustainable, especially in economically disadvantaged regions. “The ideal model for coffee farming,” says Nagel, “balances economic stability for farmers with environmentally sustainable practices, involving long-term contracts and regenerative agricultural techniques that support biodiversity and prevent resource depletion.”

Their findings show that the primary issue in coffee production, is exactly that: the economic disparity in the value chain, where producers receive a very small portion of the generated value (around 10%). This financial instability makes it difficult for farmers to get around and they often have other priorities than complying with environmental issues such as biodiversity loss, water pollution and soil degradation.

Pilot farms

Currently the National Coffee Federation (FNC) is implementing various technologies aimed at reducing water use and contamination. They are promoting two different filters that filter water wastewater with plants such as vetiver grass to remove excess nutrients from coffee processing. The other option is the use of Eco mills, innovative coffee processing machines that drastically reduce water usage. “The Eco mill processes coffee from cherry to parchment without impacting the overall production system”, Nagel adds.

However, these technologies are expensive, ranging from €2,500 and €5,000, making them inaccessible for many smallholder farmers. Moreover, green filter technology currently lacks a component that ensures the re-use of the collected nutrients. The project, therefore, is still in its development phase aiming to find scalable, affordable solutions tailored to different farm sizes and local contexts, with closed nutrient cycles. Farmers are encouraged to implement various agroforestry techniques before they become eligible for subsidies. By doing this, greater awareness among farmers can lead to their active contribution to sustainable practices.

Local institutions like CENICAFÉ, the research arm of the National Coffee Federation (Federación Nacional de Cafetéros de Colombia) is essential in ensuring not only the best technology, but also its adaptability and scalability within the region.

Rather than inventing new technologies these existing technologies built on previous research, are taken as departure points ensuring that any potential additions proposed can be easily adopted by the FNC, who are closely connected to the local context.

The road ahead

Over the next six months, the team will develop a technological design for a farm and work closely with local partners to ensure that the systems are effective and sustainable. This will be followed by a nine-month implementation phase. As with any project of this scale, however, patience and persistence are required. Cultural change in farming communities takes time and the team recognises that building trust and demonstrating success will be essential for long-term adaptation.

Looking for ways to get involved?

Are you currently working on water projects in Colombia or exploring how to do so? Or just curious about participating in the Partners for Water initiatives? Here are ways for you to get involved:

• Apply for our tenders focused on innovative solutions in delta countries like Colombia.
• Join our annual Colombia platform meeting or one of the other Partners for Water events.
• Follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on our tenders, activities, events and projects.
• Apply for the Partners for Water subsidy. Explore whether you are eligible.
• Get in touch with our Project Advisor for Colombia: Robert Proos

With the Human series, we showcase the people who are involved in and benefit from the Partners for Water projects. The Human series sheds light on the stories of the people with whom and for whom Partners for Water works, and on how water affects their lives. Discover below how Carolina Salas learned that while water is vital, its ever-changing patterns require constant adaptation.

Meet Carolina Salas

This Humans of Partners for Water series focuses on Carolina Salas, a sustainability manager at Agrícola La Quebrada del Ají Ltda, Chile. Her experiences with extreme drought and torrential rains have ignited her passion for understanding the complexities of water, driving her to advocate for sustainable practices that empower her community.

Embracing the unpredictability of water

Carolina Salas, a sustainability manager in Quebrada del Ají, a small and remote town in the Valparaíso region of Chile, has experienced firsthand the dynamic nature of water. In her town, she has witnessed both extreme abundance and prolonged drought. Carolina vividly recalls an event from twenty years ago when she and her neighbors were trapped in the village for a week due to incessant rain. At that time, she had a small baby, adding to the difficulty of the situation.

This period of heavy rainfall was followed by a long stretch of drought, which brought its own challenges. These changes were significant learning experiences for Carolina and her community members, deepening their understanding of the importance of water.

“I’m passionate about water because, obviously, it’s an important resource, but it is also a very dynamic one”.

In recent years, Carolina has noticed increased global attention to the challenges they face regarding water. However, they can never predict what comes next. What they have learned is to no longer be afraid but to adapt. Water, she explains, is a resource that is not stable and creates many realities.

How do we address Southern Africa’s increasing water security challenges?

One effective approach is to develop a water availability and demand decision-making tool designed by users for users. The GLOW consortium – Global Water Availability Forecasting Service – has been diligently working on such an instrument. Matthew Damons, Water and Environmental Scientist at Emanti Management, shares his thoughts about the collaboration between the two partners. Their key to success? “Open dialogue with their cross-border partners and stakeholders.”

From his office in Stellenbosch, South Africa, Matthew Damons calls in to discuss the key components of the successful collaboration within the GLOW project, which is funded by Partners for Water. Matthew is an environmental and water scientist at consortium partner Emanti. This water and environmental engineering company specialises in managing the risk and vulnerability aspects of water, sanitation and health.

“Together with our Dutch partners Hydrologic and FutureWater, we’ve established a synergistic collaboration in which the partners combine their strengths,” says Matthew. “Our aim? To develop an operational service that provides timely and easy access to water availability and demand forecasts for South Africa’s, Eswatini’s and Mozambique’s resource systems.”

Consortium partners’ roles

As a local partner, Emanti’s role is to support the user and system requirement analysis by engaging with stakeholders to understand their needs for the GLOW system. Emanti also disseminates knowledge to end users through user groups, focused sessions and training modalities. FutureWater is responsible for the models behind the forecasts, while HydroLogic specialises in providing decision support services for water managers through HydroNET, an open platform that translates massive amounts of data into usable information for water managers.

Bridging the distance

“Working over long distances can be challenging sometimes,” says Matthew. “With Eswatini being in Southern Africa, and our two partners located in the Netherlands, our collaboration efforts are a work in progress, requiring continuous effort and nurturing.” He explains that they ensure active and regular online engagement among the GLOW consortium. “At the beginning of our collaboration, we made a conscious decision to establish open dialogues. This means that we can always contact our partners with questions or ask for advice if we feel stuck. This intention created a ‘safe space’ to ask for help when necessary and, in a way, bridges the distance. I believe this is one of the key components that is making our collaboration a success!”

Stakeholder engagement

The partners not only create a ‘safe space’ to address questions within their consortium but also during their stakeholder engagement. “Our key stakeholders include various water authorities in Eswatini, Mozambique and South Africa,” says Matthew. “We want to know their opinions, and their pains and gains when using the system, because in the end, they are the ones that will have to use the system to support them in making water management decisions. We truly aim to develop the GLOW system for users, by users. We have done this through a co-creation process with the stakeholders in which they can indicate their needs and desires for the system.”

“We try to build a relationship with the stakeholders, because we’ve experienced that the more our stakeholders trust us, the more comfortable they feel with providing input and sharing their opinions. We also felt that the more we cooperate and work with them and their data, the more their interest has grown. This resulted in them welcoming the development of the system and indicating the importance of the GLOW system within their water resources planning.”

The power of collaboration

“One of our stakeholder sessions in Mozambique got delayed for several months due to the cyclone season. It required the stakeholders to be on the ground to deal with the damage caused. Although it was a big setback, it also showed the power of collaboration,” Matthew notes. He explains: “Our partners had other ongoing projects with our Mozambican stakeholders, which made it easy to stay in constant communication with them. Eventually, we even secured a new stakeholder meeting via another partnership in which our partners are involved, the Blue Deal Mozambique (Dutch Waterboard cooperation programme). The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Waterworks exchanged knowledge in a water-related event in Mozambique and allowed us to participate in one of the workshops to discuss how to start our interaction with the end users in Mozambique. It showed us how valuable it is to build relationships with local and international partners, and to have access to their network as well.”

Water, climate, and biodiversity are the foundations of life on Earth. Despite their vital functions, these elements face severe pressures, threatening food, health, safety and economies. To address this, Partners for Water and the IUCN hosted “Shaping a Biodiversity-Proof Future” on 1 October 2024 at Omniversum Museon, in The Hague. This event united the international water, food and nature sectors to develop actionable solutions. Explore the next steps for a biodiversity proof future below.

“Biodiversity and ecosystem services form a strong foundation that underpins all the sectors present today. It’s not a ‘nice to have’; it’s at the core,” explained Heleen van den Hombergh from the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Together with co-organizer Liliane Geerling from Partners for Water and moderator Caroline van Leenders from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, she opened the Biodiversity event. Amid the museum’s captivating photos of wild cats, eagles and rhinos, 90 dedicated water, food and biodiversity professionals listened attentively as van Leenders explained that the event is designed not just to inspire but to catalyse action to integrate biodiversity in their work and mainstream it internationally.

Working towards a biodiversity proof future

The majority of the day was dedicated to collaborative workshops in small groups. Participants discussed challenges, identified action points, and equipped each other with the new insights needed to work towards a biodiversity-proof future. Geerling added, “The insights resulting from today’s discussions we will bring to the Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16) in Cali, Colombia this October.”

Five themes that impact biodiversity were explored during the day: regenerative agriculture, water related infrastructure, greening finance, transformative change, and biocultural landscapes, including ancestral knowledge in landscape-based approaches. The main takeaways are presented below.

Main takeaways for mainstreaming biodiversity

An overarching insight from the sessions was the interconnectedness of biodiversity and climate change. Destroying and degrading ecosystems releases more CO2 emissions than burning fossil fuels. Conversely, the consequences of burning fossil fuels—such as rising global temperatures, increased wildfires, and ocean acidification—threaten habitats and wildlife.

Each session resulted in various outcomes, with two insights recurring across all sessions:

• Collective action: A biodiversity-friendly future requires unified efforts from all stakeholders, including businesses, NGOs, knowledge institutions and governments.
• Localized approach: Working with local people and partners is crucial. Incorporating not only their needs but also their knowledge is essential for achieving positive biodiversity impact.

These recurring outcomes underscore the complexity of biodiversity challenges and the need for integrated, collaborative solutions. To learn more about these subject-specific insights, please continue reading below.

Regenerative agriculture and biodiversity

A sustainable food system should provide sufficient, affordable, and healthy food for everyone, fairly produced and within the Earth’s ecological limits. The current system is far from achieving this goal, but regenerative agriculture can play a crucial role in making food systems more sustainable.

During this session, a collective brainstorm was held. It resulted in acknowledging various challenges and identifying many potential solutions to address these challenges which you can find in illustration 1.

“How we produce our food is probably one of the biggest challenges of the decade and will determine the biodiversity status for the future.” – Marieke Harteveld, Lead agri-food transition at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency

Additionally, useful practices for implementing regenerative agroforestry in a landscape setting were discussed.

Takeaways

• Agroforestry practices, such as implementing edible hedges, can benefit both nature and farmers by addressing soil erosion, water scarcity, reduced biodiversity, climate change and economic vulnerability.
• Understanding community needs and adopting a bottom-up approach is crucial for the successful implementation and adoption of agroforestry practices.
• Patience and long-term thinking are required, as income and returns from agroforestry may come later. De-risking smallholder investments through conservation agreements, collateral, and spreading risk across farmers can help attract investment partners.

Water infrastructure, climate resilience & biodiversity

People often claim that biodiversity is too complex to integrate into water-related infrastructures, like dikes, dams, sluices, and storm-surge barriers, but, ensure that biodiversity is prioritized from the starting point and monitored at the start as well as after implementation, it is achievable. This session encouraged participants to exchange ideas on how to integrate biodiversity into infrastructure projects and explored the key challenges and innovations when monitoring biodiversity in these types of infrastructures.

Takeaways

• Both time constraints and climate change must be considered when planning for water related infrastructures. Infrastructure projects often have short timelines, while restoring or preferably enhancing biodiversity requires long-term thinking.
• Data-driven design is crucial for monitoring biodiversity and creating biodiverse oceans and climate-resilient coastlines and infrastructure, and incorporating data from indigenous communities and historical environmental information should be standard practice.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration is necessary to create and maintain impactful, climate resilient water related infrastructures, with an emphasis on including ecologists in decision-making processes.

Greening finance & biodiversity

Ecosystem services are becoming increasingly relevant in the investment world. Of the three types—regulating, provisioning, and cultural ecosystem services —provisioning services are often assigned a higher monetary value, while regulating services are often undervalued despite their importance to human wellbeing. This session explored how recognizing the true value of ecosystem services leads to better investment decisions, what financing nature-positive initiatives means, and why it is needed.

“It is not just about funding restoration projects; we need to fundamentally change business and finance.” –  Nicolas Poolen, Green Finance Adviser, WWF

Takeaways

• Provisioning ecosystem services are often easier to invest in than regulating ecosystem services due to their direct market value, but if we want to conserve nature, we need to recognize the true value of regulating ecosystem services.
• Nature’s value appreciates over decades and the localized nature of ecosystem services necessitates targeted investment strategies at the landscape level. That’s why investment strategies for nature require alignment with ecological timescales and local contexts.
• There is a shortage of transition plans rather than a shortage of capital for nature positive investments. This presents a clear opportunity to integrate nature into strategies, aiming to deliver both net zero and nature-positive outcomes for the corporate and financial sectors.

Did you know that the Ecosystem Services Valuation Database (ESVD) can be used as a tool for valuing ecosystem services? Discover more about ESVD.

Transformative change and biodiversity

Our food systems undeniably require change, but how can we ensure this change is transformative? This session encouraged participants to explore both general and specific transformative practices in food value chains, alongside strategies for overcoming barriers. The key insights from this discussion provided substantial food for thought and action.

Takeaways

• An important aspect for transformative change is to understand that worldviews and knowledge systems underpin what we value in nature and biodiversity and that there are multiple value perspectives, like nature for nature, nature as culture, and nature for society.
• There should be a fundamental shift in value chain strategy: competition should no longer be solely based on price, quality and availability, but should also incorporate water usage and biodiversity considerations.
• Transition management is complex due to the number of stakeholders involved and their potentially conflicting interests. Every stakeholder group, from government, businesses and NGOs to financial institutions, has a role in the transition process, emphasizing the importance of coordination and timing.

Indigenous knowledge & biocultural landscapes

Did everything used to be better? We all know that’s not always true. However, many ancient practices that we’ve set aside did a better job of respecting nature and biodiversity. A wealth of this knowledge, both ancient and contemporary, is still preserved and practiced by indigenous cultures all around the world. This session on biocultural landscapes discussed how we can incorporate this wisdom, focusing on ancestral knowledge and landscape-based approaches for sustainable development.

Takeaways:

• Reviving biocultural landscapes requires considering the inherent logic of the landscape as a foundation and landscape values.  This includes leveraging ethnobotanical knowledge and ecological wisdom and practices from local indigenous cultures.
• Landscape-based approaches are context-specific; scaling up requires being alert to opportunities and cultivating local partnerships.
• Although funding is often siloed, landscape-based approaches demand a holistic perspective, emphasizing co-creation and regeneration.

Nature will bounce back

It is clear that biodiversity extends far beyond environmental benefits and ecosystem health. It forms the foundation of our lives and the resources we depend on. Addressing its decline is of the essence. Wouter Ubbink, former UN Youth Representative on Biodiversity and Food, ended the day with a pledge that left participants with food for thought.

“Water and nature should not be tamed but should be given space instead. Space is where the battle for nature will be fought,” said Ubbink compellingly. In his view, green growth is a myth. So, we need to halt over-exploitation, overproduction and overconsumption. Nature should be embraced and harnessed, not controlled and oppressed. Ubbink: “If we leave it alone nature will bounce back.”

Uniting for biodiversity: a call for collective action

This event marks just one step towards a more sustainable and resilient future for both humanity and nature. The insights from these workshops will be carried forward, as we will bring them to the Biodiversity COP16 in Cali, Colombia in October and continue today’s efforts during sessions hosted at the Netherlands pavilion. You can find more details in our full programme here.

Building on this momentum, our new podcast series, Waterproof, will launch on 21 November. It will explore biodiversity and other crucial water themes, including salinisation, the Build-Neglect-Rebuild cycle, locally led development, greening finance and Water-Biodiversity-Food. The series kicks off with one of the crucial elements in creating positive biodiversity impact: Nature-based Solutions. Click here to stay tuned and be notified when the series launches.

Partners for Water and IUCN urge participants and other water professionals to start mainstreaming biodiversity in all their processes and projects and to work together towards a world where biodiversity thrives.