Green where possible, grey where it should be

Indonesia and the Netherlands share a deep-rooted history of cooperation in water management, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Water between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (MIW) in the Netherlands and Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works (PU). This Water MoU serves as the basis for bilateral collaboration. The Indonesian government has asked Ivo van der Linden on behalf of the Dutch government to structure and synergise the joint efforts between the two countries, particularly in water management.

Alongside Simon van Meijeren, Programme Advisor for the Partners for Water programme at RVO, van der Linden explains how they are working together with Indonesia, combining expertise and planning for the country’s water management challenges on multiple levels.

Priorities in a changing landscape

The Water MoU has been drafted to address Indonesia’s critical challenges: strengthening urban water resilience, protecting vital agricultural lands and achieving independent food security. It emphasises three interconnected focus areas: integrated water resilience for Northern Java, lowland development and irrigation and knowledge exchange focusing on engaging younger generations and preserving expertise. The Water MoU will analyse problems, develop solutions and embed them in national policies and frameworks, ensuring long-term impact through collaboration among governments, financial institutions and local communities.

Integrated water resilience for Northern Java

Coastal cities like Jakarta and Semarang face severe land subsidence, with areas sinking by 15 to 20 centimetres annually. “In Indonesia, the scale of subsidence is unparalleled compared to the Netherlands, where we see only a few centimetres each year,” Van der Linden points out. “Groundwater extraction,” says Van Meijeren, “leads to severe land subsidence and consequent flooding, so we need to look beyond quick fixes like draining water and instead map out the root causes and address them.”

This long-term approach is illustrated by a project in Semarang, where a team of experts supports the Indonesian government in preparing an integrated vision for what a resilient city could look like by 2045.

“Relationships are very important. Fortunately, we work with many champions,” says Van Meijeren, “who also support an integrated approach, going beyond mandates and short-term visions.”

The goal is to create integrated solutions that combine traditional engineering with Nature-based Solutions (NBS). Examples of this approach include projects such as Water as Leverage in Semarang and the integrated river basin management initiative in the Welang area. The Welang River project near Surabaya used a compartmentalised strategy, responding to challenges at upstream, midstream and downstream levels with targeted interventions like small dams and sediment traps to improve water retention and reduce sedimentation.

Integrated solutions: From policy to practice

Van der Linden says that to implement NBS in Indonesia, you must start from scratch. “Conventional methods for infrastructure development heavily rely on the use of concrete – so-called grey solutions. Nature-based Solutions, often referred to as green solutions, can be an alternative option. However, NBS cannot be applied anywhere, anytime and should be assessed case by case. Green where possible, grey where it should be. Together with the Indonesian authorities and the Asian Development Bank, we are looking into how a gradual shift can be made towards more hybrid construction. Achieving a ratio of 80% grey and 20% green would already be a great success.”

Seeking a balance between grey and green infrastructure is also central to President Prabowo’s ambition to construct a giant seawall along the North Coast of Java. In addition to infrastructure, this process also seeks to balance socio-economic and environmental impacts.

While these efforts show promise, there is political uncertainty, budget constraints and the entrenched reliance on conventional approaches that can all hinder progress. Van Meijeren reflects on the need for clear policy frameworks: “Applying NBS is not common practice and the ‘how to’ from a planning, governance and implementation perspective is still largely unclear. Without a metaphorical coat rack to hang these solutions on, it’s difficult to take steps towards implementation and long-term adaptation.”

Nevertheless, the first steps are underway, adapting to Indonesia’s pace, by introducing ideas that can make a lasting impact. In partnership with the Netherlands, Indonesia is exploring these pathways to implementation with support from the Asian Development Bank, which seeks to invest in environmentally sustainable projects and become the ‘climate bank’ of the region.

Water management and food security

Lowland development and irrigation are also important focuses for the collaboration, particularly as Indonesia seeks to boost agricultural productivity and achieve food independence. By optimising water management in existing lowland areas, farmers have the potential to increase “the crop per drop”. “The focus of the Water MoU isn’t just about technology,” says Van Meijeren. “It’s also about ensuring that younger Indonesians are equipped with practical knowledge on how to effectively maintain and operate water management systems in the lowlands. Currently this knowledge is held by older professionals – grey men, both in the Netherlands and in Indonesia”. To optimise agricultural production, you need good water management. That knowledge exchange is one of the pillars through which the RVO want to engage young people in these partnerships and give them a central role under the Water MoU. “We need to combine forces and look ahead to the future,” says Van der Linden.

Both Van Meijeren and Van der Linden emphasise that: “This is not just about helping Indonesia. It’s about working together to create solutions that bring mutual benefits to both countries in addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time.”

Conclusion

The collaboration between the Netherlands and Indonesia aims to strengthen urban areas and vital agricultural lands, particularly in coastal regions such as Jakarta and Semarang, where subsidence and flooding pose significant threats. Enhanced water management in agricultural zones further contributes to improved food security by boosting higher productivity and reducing dependence on imports.

Key initiatives such as Water as Leverage, coastal protection in Jakarta and the integrated water management of the Welang River are setting the stage for a new way of tackling water-related challenges. These projects take a balanced approach, combining modern engineering with natural based approaches to protect communities and the environment.

In addition, efforts in lowland development and irrigation underscore the importance of intergenerational knowledge sharing – passing from older generations to younger ones, while also improving water management. These efforts are crucial for maintaining the health and productivity of critical agricultural areas for years to come.