The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is considered the most water-scarce region globally. The region is grappling with complex water problems such as limited freshwater sources and climate change, all while facing a continuously growing population. Egypt finds itself at the heart of this water dynamic. For all water experts, this is a region where you can immerse yourself in water-related challenges. So it’s not surprising that the Wetskills Young Experts Knowledge Exchange Programme found its home base in bustling Cairo this past February-March.

Dedicated working to a single task

Wetskills brings together young professionals and students to tackle real-life water challenges in a unique setting. The programme isn’t just training; it’s an experience. Johan Oost, Managing Director of the Wetskills Foundation, emphasises, “In two weeks, intercultural water teams work together on a case from local and international sector partners. They are encouraged to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions. The programme provides the teams with an outline of some training and activities, giving them freedom and responsibilities. This approach leads to creative solutions and fresh perspectives emerging, while friendships are also built. Where else do you have the luxury of dedicating two weeks to one task with other enthusiastic peers?”

Funding through Partners for Water

Egypt is one of the seven countries in the delta country approach of the Partners for Water (PfW) programme 2022–2027. The Partners for Water bilateral water cooperation involves various representatives from the Dutch and Egyptian governments. The idea for a Wetskills event in Egypt was proposed two years ago by a Wetskills alumni, Dr Alia Amer. At that time, two other events were planned in the MENA region, in Jordan and Palestine. After some consideration, Egypt was chosen as the February-March 2024 destination for Wetskills. The programme was also primarily funded by PfW and co-organised by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cairo.

The power of influencing

For the first time in Wetskills’ history, the organisation experienced the power of influencer marketing when an Egyptian influencer with an extensive reach promoted the programme. The number of applications for Wetskills in the MENA region skyrocketed as a result. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t accommodate all interested parties in this Wetskills event, but it demonstrates how we can leverage social media for our programme,” Johan Oost said.

The grand finale at the Dutch Embassy

Over two weeks, four teams delved into four cases with various case owners.

1. Better Irrigation Practices for the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) involved developing a 4-in-1 intelligent irrigation IoT system and application to address water shortage problems.
2. Flash Flood Risk Reduction for the Water Resources Research Institute focused on a holistic approach, including enhanced monitoring, strategic land-use planning, flood preparedness, ecosystem conservation, and inter-authority collaboration.
3. Water Footprint Compensation for the Water Footprint Implementation explored how Egypt could benefit from the concept of increasing water availability or quality.
4. Increasing water availability for World Waternet proposed a solution for rainwater harvesting by capturing humid air for households in arid regions.

The teams presented their cases in a special workshop at the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands. Around 70 people from the field, embassies, local partners, and the Wetskills programme attended. Case 4 was declared the winning case at this grand finale.

Ripple effect

Wetskills impacts participants and the local community not only directly but also through the creation of a ripple effect that extends beyond the programme’s duration. “Strong friendships and networks are built in two weeks, which persist after the programme ends. In addition to this natural effect, we also stimulate and monitor the follow-up of some of the ideas via an initiative called ‘WetsNext’. Plans are underway to return to Cairo to share results and set up new events.” Johan explains.

Partners for Water reflects on a successful event in a challenging Delta country!

Amidst the global challenge of climate change, agricultural regions like Vietnam’s Mekong Delta stand at the intersection of high productivity and significant vulnerability. The delta, home to over 18 million people and contributing more than 50% of Vietnam’s rice production, plays a vital role in ensuring food security across Asia and beyond. However, rising sea levels, excessive groundwater extraction, and saltwater intrusion threaten its survival. In response, a coalition of Vietnamese and Dutch experts have established the Mekong Salt Lab, dedicated to helping farmers in the Tra Vinh Province adapt to increasing droughts and salinization. Funded by Partners of Waters, we shed light on this ongoing innovation through a series of interviews. In our first episode, Gregor Van Essen and Bich Tran (Bica) update us on the current challenges and forthcoming steps.

Image: Mekong Salt Lab – Location of Tra Vinh Province in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

About Salt Lab

Salt Lab addresses the impact of saline intrusion on farmers’ livelihoods in Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam. The project tackles issues such as reduced crop and fish yields, scarcity of fresh water for irrigation and household use, and the socio-economic consequences of salinity. It provides practical solutions and training through a Centre of Expertise, such as blended learning platforms, hydroponics, water treatment, and constructed wetlands. Adopting Farmer-to-Farmer and Public-Private Partnership models, Salt Lab will initially implement and integrate seven promising adaptive and scalable interventions, enhancing resilience and sustainable agriculture in the Mekong Delta. These are the 7 solutions part of the pilot project:

• Hydroponics: an open-field, low cost, and low-tech hydroponics system designed to grow crops in saline-affected areas.
• Freshwater Collection and Retention: techniques such as water bags, retention ponds, and lining irrigation canals to maximise availability of freshwater
• Water and Wastewater Treatment: innovative nanofiltration methods using hollow fibre (HF) membrane modules for treating polluted water sources efficiently and sustainably.
• Constructed Wetlands: artificial wetlands at the farm level to retain fresh water, treat polluted water, and promote groundwater infiltration.
• Salinity Data Farming Platform & App: a unique platform and mobile app that provides real-time salinity data, helping farmers make informed decisions.
• Asia Raincraft: a serious gaming-based approach for community and stakeholder participation, fostering collaboration in addressing water and climate adaptation.
• Salinity Blended Learning Programme: equips farmers with practical knowledge about salinity and how they can respond or adapt to it.

Project team

The Mekong Salt Lab project is managed by a team of four members, including Gregor van Essen from The Water Agency and Bich Tran from Tra Vinh University, Vietnam. Gregor, as project director, oversees strategic operations and engages with key stakeholders like Partners for Water and the Dutch embassy. With over two decades of experience in the Mekong Delta, Bica, responsible for operational models, is deeply committed to enhancing farmers’ livelihoods in the region.

Empowering farmers: the crucial role of Mekong Salt Lab

Vietnam faces severe water deficits, worsened by intense droughts. During extreme dry seasons, the lack of freshwater forces many farmers to abandon their crops, a situation worsened by rising salinity levels. Farmers often lack the practical support needed to combat salinization. While they witness the negative impacts, such as failed crops, they lack the data, tools, and knowledge to respond effectively:

• Practical salinity data: Farmers need timely and useful data to assess the quality of various water sources and monitor changes in salinity levels over time.
• Practical knowledge and tools: Farmers require practical knowledge and tools to adapt to salinity, including methods for freshwater retention, water treatment, and the cultivation of salt-tolerant crops.
• Actionable and affordable support: Farmers need support and solutions that are both practical and affordable.

The services of Mekong Salt Lab are specifically targeting these gaps and the urgency of doing this for farmers cannot be overstated. Gregor emphasises its significance, stating, “For Mekong farmers, this project is not a nice-to-have; it is a matter of survival.” Despite the challenges, engaging local farmers in education and changing their practices is a formidable task. Bica underscores the importance of patience and cultural understanding, noting, “We must listen to local farmers and adjust our model to meet their needs.” Experimenting and upscaling present significant challenges during the initial phase, making the role of the Salt Lab crucial in addressing these issues and ensuring the sustainability of local agriculture.

Consortium Partners

The Mekong Salt Lab project thrives through the collaboration of a diverse consortium of Dutch and Vietnamese partners, including The Water Agency, Tra Vinh University, Kim Delta, The Salt Doctors, Saxion University, HZ University, SkillEd, and Acacia Water. Each partner brings specialised expertise in areas such as hydroponics, freshwater retention, saline agriculture, soil management, blended learning, stakeholder engagement, aquaculture, and wastewater treatment. Co-funded by the Partners for Water programme, this consortium benefits from regular guidance and oversight. As Gregor stated, “The collaboration with Partners for Water goes beyond funding. They connect us with other initiatives and partners in the Mekong Delta that can strengthen our project” This partnership aims to create sustainable water solutions tailored to the Mekong Delta’s needs.

Collaborating with local partners

Working closely with local partners is indispensable for the success of the Mekong Salt Lab project. Through comprehensive needs and gap analyses, the team ensures that their solutions align with local realities. “We’ve consulted local authorities and farmers extensively during the proposal phase to understand their needs and explore potential solutions,” explains Bica. Engaging influential “champion farmers” has proven pivotal. “We’ve carefully selected farmers who can effectively represent the issues we’re addressing and actively contribute to the project,” notes Bica.

Currently, two champion farmers are piloting integrated systems that include water collection and retention for agricultural activities, water treatment for household use, vertical hydroponics, and deep-water hydroponics to address salinity and water scarcity. The challenge lies in adapting these Dutch systems to the local context and ensuring the farmers learn how to operate them effectively. “We need to educate these farmers thoroughly while determining the best practices for them. This will help us develop a general approach for broader implementation of these systems”.

The interest among local farmers and government officials is evident. The local government, having already visited three times to assess the project’s progress, underscores their commitment and enthusiasm. The governments of the neighbouring provinces of Soc Trang and Ben Tre have also shown interest. By leveraging local expertise and fostering continuous dialogue, the project is well-positioned to achieve long-term success and make a significant impact on the community.

In the field and next steps

Currently the project is in its first phase, in which innovative solutions are being implemented at two champion farms and soon to be expanded. “With these farmers, we set up a model with hydroponics for vegetable planting. The deep water culture helps save water for farmers. The next step is integrating solutions effectively,” Bica says. Looking ahead, Gregor envisions broader success, stating, “We want the Mekong Salt Lab to become a one-stop support centre for farmers. Farmers can come to us for practical advice, solutions, and training.” The ultimate measure of success lies in the project’s ability to sustainably improve farming yields and enhance farmers’ livelihoods.

Innovation in progress series

During the Partners for Water programme 2022 – 2027, several projects that received the Partners for Water subsidy will be followed from start to finish. Over the next few years, they will take you with them on their transformative journey. You’ll be able to gain insights into their promising solutions, innovative processes, and collaborations with local partners, as well as their struggles, challenges, and valuable lessons learned. Stay tuned and follow their journey through the Partners for Water website and our LinkedIn page!

The World Water Forum 2024 (WWF) is a wrap!
The largest international conference in the water sector took place from 18 to 25 May in Bali, Indonesia. Time for a recap of the exciting things that transpired at the Dutch Pavilion.

An important reason for attending the WWF Dutch pavilion was to help position the Netherlands as an expert on global water challenges providing innovative approaches and state-of-the-art solutions to improve water security. In order to achieve this, the pavilion was designed as an open, inclusive and inventive space to make finding new (or strengthening existing) local and international partnerships easy.

The pavilion boasted an extensive programme with three main themes: ‘Water for resilient cities and deltas’, ‘Water for food and energy’ and ‘Clean and safe water for all’. These were some of the highlights from an exciting week at WWF:

Start of a wave

The week kicked off with a bang with the launch of the ‘Indonesian Wave’, part of Wavemakers United. ‘A youth-led intergenerational network that connects initiatives, merges resources and enables collaboration. All the while adapting to local contexts to achieve the Water Action Agenda goal of educating one million children per year.’ explained Sabrina Farah Salsabilla, Chief Marketing Officer at ReservoAir.

Founder of Wavemakers United Tilly Stroo signed a Letter of Intent with the Indonesian Ministry of Public Works and Housing and Wavemakers United to collaborate under the Centre of Excellence for Water and Climate Resilience. ‘Signing this at such a significant platform as the WWF, Indonesia and the Netherlands are demonstrating their continued investment in youth participation. Not just during WWF’s but into the future as well.’

Water envoy in the house

Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, Meike van Ginneken also attended the WWF: ‘At the UN Water Conference in New York in 2023, we agreed to more than 800 water actions. Today, the Water Action Agenda is in full swing with Dutch companies, NGOs and the government participating in many of those actions at the community, local and national levels.

‘I want to congratulate the Indonesian government on bringing together the whole water world here at WWF. It has been a great opportunity to celebrate our long-standing and productive bilateral cooperation with Indonesia.’

A Matter of Perseverance

On the second day of the WWF, we – Partners for Water – hosted a session in collaboration with Water as Leverage. This programme brings together cities, designers, engineers, and financiers to enhance urban resilience to climate change. The goal of this session was to discuss bilateral collaboration with our seven partner countries regarding inclusive delta development.

As improving water security requires perseverance, we consider long-term partnerships with our partner countries to be essential. Amongst other things, we discussed how we can enhance the current approach and how to engage local partners effectively. We also shared insights gained from projects undertaken in our partner countries.

Launch of inaugural report

An exciting event that occurred at the Dutch pavilion was the launch of the first International Panel on Deltas and Coastal Areas (IPDC) report. The report was produced through a collaborative effort and sets out the climate adaptation strategies, processes, and challenges of each IPDC member country. Meike van Ginneken presented the first copies to two esteemed IDPC-members, Indonesia’s Pak Leo Eliasta and Egypt’s Mr. Walid Hakiki.

A special visitor

On the last day of presentations at the WWF, a very special person visited the Dutch Pavilion. Minister Basuki Hadimuljono of Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing stopped by.

‘I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with the Minister about the relationship between Indonesia and The Netherlands, particularly focusing on the water sector. I believe this relationship will always be strong, equal and beneficial’, said Nishchal Sardjoe, Senior Water Management specialist at Deltares Indonesia

Thank you

Partners for Water would like to thank all the companies, NGO’s, governments, knowledge institutions and visitors who came and participated at our pavilion. We trust you had a fruitful WWF and hope to see you soon.

A special thanks to everyone who hosted a session at the Netherlands Pavilion 2024:
Bandung Technische Hoogeschool Fonds (BTHF), BESE BV, Danone, Deltares Netherlands, EcoShape Consortium, International Panel on Deltas, Coasts and Islands (IPDC), MetaMeta, Nazava Indonesia, NX Filtration, Partners for Water, Royal HaskoningDHV, UN-Habitat, Simavi, The International Centre for Water Cooperation (ICWC), SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, Valuing Water Initiative (VWI), Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors, WaterWorX (VEI, WereldWaternet and Oasen), Water as Leverage, Water Footprint Implementation, Wavemakers United/Nuffic/The Water Agency, Wetskills Foundation, Yayasan Plan International Indonesia

A glimpse of the NL Pavilion during the World Water Forum 2024

This week, Holland House Colombia, the Netherlands Enterprise agency (RVO) and the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), joined forces at the 67th ACODAL Water, Waste and Energy Congress took place in Cartagena, Colombia.

In anticipation of the Dutch presence at the congress, Jan Willem van Bokhoven – director of Holland House in Colombia – gives his perspective on the long-term ongoing partnership of 50 years between the two countries that are committed to addressing environmental challenges.

A receptive market for European expertise
As Colombia is lacking a strong industrial base for advanced technologies, it often relies on foreign expertise. Traditionally dominated by the United States, nowadays European companies are finding a much more receptive market in Colombia. Of course there are still challenges. Last year Dutch expertise was showcased in capacity building, water management and sustainable water purification. The emphasis now lies on the Water as Leverage programme and coastal protection, especially in the face of climate change, rapid urbanisation, and environmental degradation.

Success stories and economic growth
Van Bokhoven has significantly contributed to the success of Dutch entrepreneurs in Colombia. The number of companies with branches in Colombia increased from 35 to 300 over the past seven years, and over 800 Dutch entrepreneurs began exporting to Colombia, the third-largest economy in Latin America, during the same period. Since he set up Holland House ten years ago, Bokhoven has fallen in love with the Latin American country that has hosted him. ‘A beautiful country with beautiful people and also a typical emerging market.’ The aftereffects of the financial crisis leading to budget cuts abroad pushed Dutch entrepreneurs to look beyond Europe for growth opportunities. Bokhovens’ goal was to support not only existing businesses but also guide entrepreneurs taking their first steps in new markets such as Colombia. Today, that number has grown to nearly 400 member companies.

Colombia’s agricultural potential
Colombia offers a lot of potential as a major global food producer. The country has 26 million hectares of agricultural land, with only 6 million currently in use, indicating a vast potential for growth. This growth is further supported by the peace process, which is gradually making more land accessible. ‘We do a lot with agro-logistics and the use of water in the agricultural sector. Due to the El Niño and La Niña weather phenomena, we have periods of extreme drought and periods of huge rainfall. Both drought and excessive rain require the efficient use of water.

Even in regions traditionally abundant in water, the drought leading to historic lows in reservoir levels demanded immediate action. In Bogotá, a major city with millions of residents, authorities have implemented a one-day water outage every ten days.

Importance of effective water management
In Colombia, effective water management is becoming increasingly critical across all sectors, highlighted by the ongoing drought and heightened sense of urgency. This issue is key at the ACODAL Congress. This year marks the largest delegation of Dutch companies ever, with familiar names like Nijhuis and Paques reflecting a growing interest in the Colombian market, Van Bokhoven points out. Dutch companies operate in Columbia via the Blue Deal InspirAgua initiative; a holistic approach to problem-solving that integrates public, private, academic, and community sectors where 21 water boards work together with the Dutch ministries of Foreign Affairs and Infrastructure and Water Management. The goal: to give 20 million people around the world access to sufficient, clean and safe water.

Focus on filtration technology
A significant focus is on filtration technology, essential for transforming wastewater and various water sources into potable water. This technology is crucial for treating groundwater and mountain water to ensure safe drinking water supplies. The Dutch delegation’s mix of expertise and cutting-edge technology aims to address Colombia’s pressing water management needs effectively.

The expanding group of participants includes firms specialising in water use for agriculture and decentralised water supply systems for rural and remote areas, such as the Amazon. These companies bring advanced technologies for water purification and drinking water provision and try to find solutions for Colombia’s vast and diverse geography. ‘Trade and development are not two opposites in this country,’ says Van Bokhoven, ‘they reinforce each other.’

Integrating water, energy, and waste solutions
Additionally, there’s a notable trend of integrating water management with energy and waste solutions, leveraging Dutch expertise to create comprehensive and sustainable approaches. The collaboration at ACODAL underscores the importance of innovative, cross-sector solutions to Colombia’s water challenges. ‘But’, says Van Bokhoven, ‘significant strides are being made by providing comprehensive, turnkey water management solutions. Bluecon, for instance, offers complete plug-and-play systems tailored for small municipalities, covering everything from filtration technology to infrastructure. Similarly, LIC provides fully integrated water technology solutions.’

Beyond turnkey projects: Dutch expertise in larger systems
However, the Dutch role in Colombia extends beyond turnkey projects. Often, Dutch expertise and technology are integrated into larger systems managed by other international firms. While Colombia has strong educational institutions, the country lacks a robust industrial base, making it unlikely for advanced technologies like pumps or nanofilters to be manufactured locally. Instead, local installation work remains prevalent.

Overall, while Dutch firms contribute significantly to Colombia’s water sector and create job opportunities, most high-tech production remains abroad. The mutual benefit is clear, emphasises Van Bokhoven: Colombia gains access to advanced water technologies, and Dutch companies find a receptive market for their solutions.

If you are also interested in doing business in Colombia, for example by participating in the activities mentioned above, or you want to consult someone, please contact RVO. There are various ways to support you, and we can also put you in contact with the Dutch embassy in Bogota.

See below for an impression of the Netherlands Pavilion at Acodal, Cartagena Colombia, 2024.

The Dutch government and public, private and knowledge partners cooperate together to optimise the Netherlands’ contribution to international water-related challenges and the Dutch earning capacity, whilst gaining knowledge from other countries.

‘Increasing water security for over a hundred million people worldwide by 2030’. That is the goal of the Netherlands International Water Ambition which four Dutch ministries – Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Infrastructuur en Waterstaat, Economische Zaken en Klimaat en Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit-  set in 2019. We are now halfway and this year the NIWA will be assessed. What progress has been made?  What do Dutch internationally operating actors involved with tackling water-related challenges need to succeed and increase earning capacity? On 24 June, the collaborating Dutch ministries and RVO (Partners for Water) are hosting a stakeholder consultation to discuss which sector-specific and societal challenges should be addressed in the upcoming years under the NIWA.

What will be discussed?

In five years, a lot can change. With global and local situations changing faster than ever, it is important to evaluate the ambition now, as well as the approach to achieve it. At the stakeholder consultation, experts and professionals from companies and knowledge institutions with a link to international water challenges are invited to share experiences, review the progress so far, and explore opportunities to sharpen the ambition going forward. We invite you to join the discussion and share your knowledge and ideas.

We know water

The Netherlands has a long tradition in and good global reputation for our water management and water-related engineering. Water opens international doors for the Netherlands. By leveraging our knowledge and expertise, the government and water sector aim to increase and optimize Dutch involvement in water security for people, plants and animals worldwide, while at the same time increasing Dutch earning capacity.

The impacts of climate change are experienced through water and water is the accelerator for adaptation action. The current NIWA therefore places a strong emphasis on this topic.

NIWA Approach

The approach to achieving NIWA is based on three pillars:

1.    Strengthening local ability to achieve results

2.    Applying an integral approach to water security

3.    Putting forward the Netherlands as a Centre of Excellence

Shared contribution

The main purpose of the current NIWA is to achieve SDG goal 6, Clean water and Sanitation, and related SDG goals: ‘Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all’. Improving water security takes a long time. Long-term partnerships are crucial in making a difference. The NIWA aims to create more coherence in water-related international policy instruments, such as programs. It is also an important platform for collaboration with the private sector.

International Biodiversity Day: A call to action from Partners for Water

Today, 22 May 2024, marks International Biodiversity Day, highlighting the crucial role of biodiversity in sustaining life on Earth. At Partners for Water, we use this day to emphasize the importance of conserving biodiversity and our commitment to its protection.
We believe collective action from all sectors is essential to address biodiversity loss. To underscore this, we interviewed experts like Claudia Schutte from RVO, Maxime Eiselin from IUCN NL, and Dr. James Byng from TU Delft for their insights on preserving biodiversity.

Dedicated to biodiversity

“Biodiversity means life!” exclaims Claudia Schutte of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). At RVO, Claudia and her team are dedicated to mainstreaming biodiversity in development efforts. They aim to implement nature-inclusive programs and projects that avoid harming biodiversity and actively promote a nature-positive impact. “We are not there yet, but we are dedicated to that mission,” Claudia adds.

Today, humanity faces two major crises: climate and biodiversity crises. Dr. James Byng, the Director at the technical Hortus Botanicus of TU Delft, is most worried that we still know so little about this planet’s biodiversity. Without comprehensive knowledge, conservation efforts are hindered. “Imagine what we can do if we can get botanists, horticulturists, engineers, architects, and designers all working together!” he envisions.

Political will is needed

Maxime Eiselin, Senior Expert in Nature-based Solutions at IUCN NL, stresses the necessity of political will to integrate biodiversity into policies, regulations, planning, and development processes. “To structurally reduce biodiversity loss, political will is needed at all levels of government to ensure the integration of biodiversity in decision-making,” he explains. Claudia Schutte agrees, noting that short-term ambitions often overshadow long-term ecological goals, posing a significant challenge to achieving the targets for 2030 and goals for 2050 set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (K-M GBF).

Challenges and successes

Biodiversity-positive interventions require time to yield results, as nature takes time to restore. Despite these challenges, successes like species recovery documented in the IUCN Green Status of Species and practical conservation efforts in the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas offer optimism. When discussing biodiversity, many forget that genetic diversity is just as crucial as ecosystem diversity. Adding greenery to cities is beneficial, but climate change is vital to ensuring genetic diversity in urban trees. Municipalities and communities must utilise this growing knowledge.

Ambitious goals at COP16

At the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity COP16 in October and November in 2024, countries will submit their updated plans for contributing to the K-M GBF using their National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs). “The proof of the pudding is in the eating. We’ll see at COP17 2025 if combining all these NBSAPs will be enough to reach our agreed goals at the global level,” says Claudia. Maxime highlights the upcoming negotiations on financial mechanisms, digital sequence information, and the monitoring framework, which are crucial to reaching the ambitious targets of the K-M GBF.

Act now

“Transformative action is essential because we cannot simply halt this mass extinction,” stresses Maxime. Solving the biodiversity issue requires collective action from stakeholders, including companies, NGOs, governments, and knowledge institutions. “Surround yourself with ambitious partners to drive broader mainstreaming in society,” he advises.

Legislation and financial structures are pushing companies towards sustainable business models. A report from DNB (De Nederlandse Bank) and PBL (Plan Bureau Leefomgeving, “Indebted to Nature” (2020), highlights the risks financial institutions face when funding companies with negative biodiversity impacts. Companies must adapt their operations to government policy and changing consumer preferences to reduce the damage to biodiversity.

Nature’s Pride for biodiversity conservation

Nature’s Pride has been working on an efficient, fair, and sustainable food chain since 2001. Natures Pride: “We’re strongly committed to people’s well-being, responsible water management, and climate change mitigation and resilience. As part of our new ambitions for the care of people and nature, we’ve included biodiversity conservation into our cultivation areas. Last year, we were the first to successfully pilot GLOBALG.A.P.’s BioDiversity add-on outside of Europe together with two of our dedicated partner growers in South Africa”. For over two decades ZZ2, avocado grower in South Africa, has been farming according to the ‘Natuurboerdery’ concept. “We have implemented a wide array of practices that protect and enhance biodiversity in and around our farms. The pilot we did with Nature’s Pride helped us to strengthen on-farm biodiversity practices and to independently verify and formally document these best practices. We are now expanding the use of biodiversity assessments and action plans as a standard practice to all our farms”, says Clive Garrett, Marketing Manager at ZZ2.

Knowledge is key

“We all have a part to play, both individually and collectively, whether here in The Netherlands or abroad,” says Maxime Eiselin. However, knowledge is often fragmented and undervalued. Indigenous knowledge, in particular, plays a vital role in identifying and preserving local flora and fauna. Programs like “Reversing the Flow” integrate scientific and indigenous knowledge, highlighting the importance of valuing diverse perspectives. “By working together and appreciating different types of knowledge, we can strengthen and accelerate implementation efforts,” says Claudia.

Biodiversity as a starting point

“Humanity depends on biodiversity for its survival,” stresses James. “From medicines to food to construction materials, it all starts with biodiversity.” If we can sustainably document, conserve, and utilise biodiversity, humanity can reach a turning point. With the increase in global population and greater demand for ecosystem services, the current generation may be the last to have the chance to make a significant impact. Botanical gardens like TU Delft Hortus Botanicus are crucial in preserving biodiversity and advancing plant research, contributing to sustainable practices like coastal mangrove conservation. The TU Delft Hortus Botanicus, under James Byng’s leadership, exemplifies this by collecting global plant species for study and conservation.

Local action for greater good

An inspiring example is the mountainous Atewa forest in Ghana, which IUCN NL and its local partners aim to preserve. Fifty-three communities living on the forest’s forest’s fringes rely on it for their livelihoods, and it serves as a vital water source for over five million people. However, the forest is at risk due to plans for large-scale bauxite mining. Through sharing knowledge and raising awareness among policymakers in Ghana, strides have been made to change the mining plans. “The Atewa forest demonstrates how local advocacy can secure biodiversity and water resources for millions,” says Maxime.

Biodiversity is up to you

As citizens, engaging with this global issue might seem challenging. Take small steps in your immediate environment: green your garden, remove tiles, set up insect hotels, and plant native organic plants to attract and support insects. Also, become a more responsible consumer: cut back on animal-based products, avoid unnecessary purchases, and opt for second-hand items or sustainable alternatives when possible. Claudia:  “Remember, we’re all in this together—businesses, governments, NGOs, knowledge institutes, and each of us as individuals.”

The way forward

Looking ahead to the COP16 in Cali, there is optimism for progress in biodiversity conservation. However, tangible results require collective effort and political will. Despite the complexities of biodiversity conservation, one thing is clear: collective action is imperative. Governments, businesses, NGOs, and individuals must unite to sustainably use, conserve, and restore our planet’s biodiversity. By embracing collaboration, valuing diverse perspectives, and prioritizing long-term sustainability, we can be part of the plan to safeguard biodiversity for future generations. Together, we can actively work towards a healthier, more resilient planet.

Mark your calender for a Biodiversity event!

On 1 October 2024, Partners for Water will organise an event focused on biodiversity. More information will follow soon, so keep an eye on our event page.

Liliane Geerling – Programme Coordinator, Partners for Water

‘At the WWF, we will present the Netherlands as a “Centre of Excellence with a shared pavilion where we showcase our broad expertise and knowledge related to water security. Partners for Water serves as host, but there are many other organisations involved, such as the Dutch embassy, Dutch companies and several Indonesian organisations. We feel that by attending the WWF we will benefit greatly because it will bring together so many stakeholders including; governments, multilateral institutions, academia and businesses.’

Enhancing cooperation

‘The pavilion will offer a comprehensive programme with lots of opportunities for interaction and in-depth sessions. For example, we are organising some sessions around the theme “Status and trends in global water cooperation”, where we will discuss what makes water cooperation work, how we can enhance bilateral cooperation and which role the international multilateral system should play. Another example is a presentation by the Ecoshape consortium about their research into Nature-based Solutions for increased water resilience in South-East Asia.’

‘At this year’s WWF, there will be many young water enthusiasts attending which is a great idea as after all they’re the future of the water sector. This is why we involved them in the run up to the event and it will continue to engage with them during and afterwards. One of the “youth activities” at the forum is a “pressure cooker challenge” (Raincarft Bali). Young professionals must come up with solutions to specific water challenges on the spot and then present them. I will be part of the jury and am very curious to hear what they come up with.’

Water action agenda

‘For me the WFF will be successful if, through our pavilion, we can spark discussions on how to advance innovative water solutions and how we can make these inclusive to all. Following that, I hope we can share knowledge and approaches towards water security for all. I also hope we can build upon the Water Action Agenda, which was launched at the UN Water Conference in New York in 2023. Since then, we’ve taken the lead on further developing this agenda and we hope to continue this in Bali. There is plenty of overlap between the action agenda and the themes of the WWF so I’m confident we will manage this.’

Ivo van der Linden – Delegated Representative, Indonesia

‘The fact that this year’s World Water Forum (WWF) is taking place in Bali is special for the Netherlands, due to our long-standing relationship with Indonesia. This collaboration was formalised in 2007 through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), but we have been working together for much longer. We do this in an integrated, inclusive, sustainable and equal manner. We want to commend Indonesia for hosting this WWF and applaud their leadership role in addressing global water and climate challenges. We will help them out wherever we can, to ensure this edition is a memorable one.’

‘Indonesia is developing rapidly and we have ambitious goals regarding our collaboration. This includes new ways of working, where we work together to create an agenda and activities. As we’re both delta countries, we face common challenges such as coastal erosion and rising sea levels. We’re not only partners on water issues, but we also collaborate on other topics too, like renewable energy, sustainable cities and agriculture innovation. But water is an important driver for our broader collaboration.’

Shared knowledge agenda

As we knew that this year’s WWF would be hosted in Bali, we’ve been working together with the Indonesian Government to organise several joint activities. One aspect of this is giving young people a greater platform, as Liliane already explained. In addition to that, we also created a shared “knowledge agenda” for the event, which will culminate in two panel sessions that we’re jointly moderating. In one of them we will discuss small islands development and how we can help mitigate the water problems they face, like a lack of fresh water or climate change-related challenges.’

In the coming years, we will continue investing in our relationship with Indonesia through enhanced dialogue and aligning policy agendas. Part of that process includes evaluating our past collaboration and discussing how we can further improve it. During these sessions, we also include other partners such as the Asian Development Bank as they can use their funding programmes to help turn ideas and plans into concrete, actionable projects.

For more information about the Netherlands Pavilion programme, visit the event page.

Or, directly download the programme!

The Mozambican city of Beira is partly below sea level and highly vulnerable to the increasing effects of climate change. In 2019 and 2021, the port city was struck by two cyclones that destroyed more than 70% of the buildings. With assistance from the Partners for Water programme and the Netherlands Embassy, the municipality and the ‘Municipal Recovery and Resilience Plan’ are rebuilding Beira towards a climate-resilient, flood proof city, based on the so called the Beira Masterplan 2035.  The new Maraza Residential Zone is an important part of this city-wide development plan.

Marie-Odile Zanders, Director of Property Partnerships & Development at Empowa, Maraza’s home loan provider, has been working closely on this project with a number of partners. Together with Jaap Kroon, Partners for Water’s programme advisor Mozambique, she elaborates on the project’s progress and obstacles.

Housing Crisis

“Like in the rest of Mozambique and wider Africa, affordable housing is scarce in Beira and houses that withstand climate hazards are even scarcer. Obtaining mortgages in Mozambique is challenging and those that are available have interest rates exceeding 20 percent”, says Kroon. Zanders adds: “Many Mozambicans rely on informal and unpredictable incomes. This makes them ineligible for home loans. Today, approximately, only 600 mortgages are in existence throughout all of Mozambique.”

“The alternative for buying a house is to construct one yourself. This takes a long time and often results in homes that are not resilient enough to withstand natural disasters. The housing that will be offered in Maraza will mean that most low to middle income Mozambicans can finally gain access to a climate-resilient home and not have to build themselves,” says Zanders.

25,000 Resilient, Affordable Green Homes

“The idea is to build 25,000 homes in an already allocated, low-lying area of 450 hectares. The land will be raised to prevent flooding and equipped with drainage, sewage and drinking water connections. The houses in the Maraza Residential Zone will be cyclone-resistant and affordable for the residents of Beira,” explains Kroon.

Local and International Partners

Maraza will be developed of by both local and international partners. One of them is the Sociedade de Desenvolvimento Urbano da Beira (SDUB), the organisation responsible for land development. The Partners for Water programme and the Netherlands Embassy in Mozambique have been funding SDUB since 2019. Since 2023, it’s received partial funding from Partners for Water and the Municipality of Beira. In addition to SDUB, the local developer Casa Real and the financial technology provider Empowa are partners in this innovative project.

Proof of Concept¹: Inhamizua District

As a proof of concept, a similar project has been developed by Casa Real and Empowa. They independently built 150 affordable homes on the outskirts of Beira. The homes are made accessible by reducing construction costs for a starter house from US$ 45.000 to just below US$ 10.000 and through a rent-to-buy scheme. Lower income residents can rent the home while saving money to buy it. This allows them to demonstrate, despite their informal incomes, that the scheme has proven to be successfull. Fifteen months into the scheme, one in three tenants has already paid at least 20% of their home’s value. Furthermore, financial flows are handled using blockchain technology. This reduces costs and risk by delivering timely, verified and indisputable data to investors and other relevant stakeholders.

Start-up challenges in Maraza Residential Zone

Close to 2.5 million euros have been invested in Maraza’s development to prepare 3.5 hectares for construction as a mini-pilot project. The sand has been raised, an access road constructed, drainage and wastewater collection systems installed and plots for apartment blocks of about 400 units are ready. The homes will be sold in a similar manner to the successful Inhamizua project. However, despite the accomplishments of the Inhamizua district, there are several challenges in securing the initial capital needed to build the first apartments.

The Inhamizua project has incurred interesting returns, yet it has been deemed too risky by various potential financiers’ due to Africa’s underdeveloped affordable housing markets, among other factors. “To reduce the risk, Partners for Water offers soft funding of around 20% of the required investment for the first phase, on the condition that another party provides the remainder,” says Kroon. The data and systems used in the Inhamizua project help in further de-risking investments into Maraza’s homes. Zanders adds: “We invite anyone interested in a different approach to affordable housing development to come and learn from us in Beira.”

Next Steps

“Everything and everyone is in place ready to build the houses: the developers, construction workers, materials, plots and the Beira municipality is firmly supporting the development of the Maraza Residential zone. So, once funding is secured, construction will start as soon as possible,” says Kroon.  And there is no doubt that the demand exists, as market research in Beira has already identified around 500 families interested and capable of renting or buying homes from the mini-pilot project.

Beira thrilogy

This article is the first of three publications highlighting Partners for Waters work in Beira ahead of the 50th anniversary of bilateral cooperation between The Netherlands and Mozambique.

[1] Impact assessment was undertaken by Mercy Corps Ventures (MCV) during 2023/2024. For more info: MCV’s  blog on “The Impact of Climate-Resilient Housing and How Web3 Technology can scale its Development”.

Bali Youth Plan

Through the Bali Youth Plan, David actively participates in discussions and sessions that focus on political, thematic, or regional issues. This involvement aims to engage youth as equal partners in all aspects of the WWF, emphasizing their role as equal stakeholders. The 60-member youth team is essential in bringing the youth perspective into the broader conversation about water management.

Netherlands Pavilion at the Bali World Water Forum

At the Netherlands pavilion, organised by Partners for Water, David will lead a session together with colleagues from the RVO’s ‘Reversing the Flow’ programme. This session will focus on knowledge sharing and best practices on locally-led adaptation. “These sessions are key for passing on knowledge we hold and learning from others at the same time,” David explains. The Netherlands, which has a significant international role in water management, doesn’t have all the answers. A good example of this is the recent funding awarded for a Dutch-Indian knowledge exchange and research project. This funding will help our country learn more about citizen participation in early warning for floods and drought, while India can gain from Dutch expertise in riverine measurements.

Impact is made together

“Impact is only achieved through collaboration,” David says. “This is where MetaMeta excels, and it aligns perfectly with my vision for the forum.” Collaboration is vital, especially in water management where global challenges require solutions that cross borders. It’s about working together on themes and with people. The past few years, I’ve noticed increasing connections between water, nature, and food. For example, I co-organised an event with IAAS and MetaMeta, alongside the Islamic Development Bank, at last year’s United Nations Water Conference. We discussed the complex relation between water, food, energy, and ecosystems in the MENA region. Although this kind of collaboration is essential and makes sense, the complexity can sometimes slow down action. We must all stay alert to ensure that it doesn’t.

Agents of change

David’s approach is practical and aimed at achieving clear results. “I aim to bring back new contacts, ideas, and partnerships that can help us make an impact on a larger scale,” he explains. The youth plan operates under the motto ‘to position young people as agents of change and inspire more youth to take action for water.’ This approach calls for a broad perspective while maintaining a focus on action-oriented behavior. “If we can take even a small, concrete step toward achieving global water goals at Bali, I’ll be very satisfied.”

World Water Forum expectations

With ‘Water for Shared Prosperity’ as its theme, the World Water Forum offers a vital space for important conversations about the future of water. “It’s not only about your own knowledge sharing but also about listening to others and forming connections,” David notes. “I’m excited to discover the range of ideas and approaches that the forum will bring, which will also help me look beyond my own water bubble.”

With the Netherlands pavilion from Partners for Water and youth representation by David, the World Water Forum will have a substantial delegation from the Netherlands. Stay tuned to our website for the latest updates from the WWF.