In western Kenya, the Nyando River catchment is caught in a cycle of flooding, land degradation and failing harvests. Trust 2 Impact, supported by Partners for Water, is working to break that cycle. Not by fixing isolated problems, but by addressing the system as a whole and ensuring that those who restore the land share in its benefits. Co-founder Victor Langenberg and Kenya Country Manager Professor Humphrey Oborah explain why that distinction matters.
Why fixing one thing is never enough
As a systems thinker and water expert, Victor Langenberg has spent four decades working on water systems in Africa. During that time, he has seen forests planted that never survived, water pumps that stopped working, and agro-programmes whose effects faded within five years. “When I travel through Africa, I see the remnants of projects where 80 percent has simply evaporated,” he says. “That is heartbreaking. ”
The reason, in his view, is structural. “Deforestation leads to soil degradation, soil degradation leads to flooding, flooding destroys harvests, destroyed harvests drive poverty, and poverty forces farmers to overuse the land,” he explains. “For lasting success, you cannot fix one part. You have to flip the system; step in together and turn that downward spiral into a cycle of restoration, resilience and opportunity.” That conviction is what led him to co-found Trust 2 Impact. “We aim to go about it completely differently.”
A view from the inside
Professor Humphrey Oborah brings a different but complementary perspective. Born and raised in the Nyando River catchment area, he knows this landscape from the inside. Four years ago, he joined as Trust 2 Impact’s Kenya Country Manager. “As a native of the region, I can speak with the community in their own dialect and align with their sufferings,” he says. “But I also wanted to bring my international connections and education in cultural and human science to find a lasting solution.”
Together with a dedicated team, they are now developing a long-term landscape restoration programme in the Nyando River catchment – combining agroforestry, water management and innovative financing to restore both ecosystems and livelihoods.
For background on the project and its wider context, see our earlier article Restoring Kenya’s Nyando River catchment: how Trust 2 Impact connects landscapes, livelihoods and long-term finance here.
The Nyando catchment is one of the most degraded river systems on earth, but it also has high potential for recovery.
Seeing the connections
To get to grips with what is happening in the Nyando catchment, Trust 2 Impact starts with maps. Causal loop diagramming is a systems thinking tool that charts how different factors influence and reinforce each other. It reveals where a well-placed intervention can trigger a chain of positive change. “We map the feedback loops between water, soil, agriculture, income and governance to find where small interventions can generate large effects,” explains Victor.
“When we looked at the Nyando River catchment systemically, deforestation, soil degradation, flooding, poverty and weak economic alternatives were all feeding into each other,” says Humphrey. “So instead of simply planting trees, we integrated landscape restoration with livelihoods, regenerative agriculture and local economic empowerment – because communities are more likely to protect ecosystems when restoration also improves their income and resilience.”
People are not resistant to change, they are resistant to exclusion from the benefits of change.
The knowledge is already there
Working closely with local communities is central to the programme. Victor is sometimes frustrated by the gap between knowledge and action. “The knowledge of how to work with the land – how to prepare seeds, read the landscape and the water, restore it – is there, but it’s hidden,” he says. “It needs to come out and be taken seriously. It’s often locked inside communities and academic papers, but there is no structure yet to connect it to financing and markets.”
Humphrey recognises the same pattern. “In many cases, communities already understood changes in rainfall patterns and soil fertility decline long before formal data confirmed it,” he says. “What was missing was a structured platform connecting that lived experience to financing mechanisms, restoration science, and economic opportunities.” Trust 2 Impact aims to do that.
This connects to a broader assumption Humphrey has consistently challenged: that communities resist change. “People are not resistant to change, they are resistant to exclusion from the benefits of change,” he says. Once communities see a credible pathway towards resilience and economic inclusion, their response shifts, and the numbers bear that out. Today, more than 20,000 community members are engaged in the programme – a strong foundation for the 60,000 hectares of agroforestry and riparian restoration the team aims to achieve across the Nyando catchment.
If it works here, what does it prove?
The Nyando catchment was chosen deliberately. It is one of the most degraded river systems on earth, but it also has high potential for recovery. “If we can fix the Nyando catchment area, we fix more than that,” Victor says. “Because what comes out of that river ends up in Lake Victoria. Improve the catchment and the whole lake system benefits, including the three countries surrounding it.”
“If this approach succeeds, it proves that climate restoration can simultaneously become an environmental solution, a poverty reduction strategy, and a green economic development model,” Humphrey says. “Carbon credit and climate finance projects work best when they are rooted in community ownership, systems thinking, and inclusive economic participation, not isolated technical interventions.”
A model worth repeating
Replication across the Lake Victoria basin would require long-term financing, local capacity-building and transparent governance. But above all, a shift in perspective. “Most importantly,” Humphrey concludes, “replication requires seeing ecosystems and communities not as separate issues, but as one interconnected living system. That is the real lesson emerging from Nyando.”
This is the second of a series of three articles. Read the first article and stay tuned for more in-depth insights.
Read first articleIn western Kenya, the Nyando River catchment stretches from the highlands of Nandi County, down towards Lake Victoria. It is a landscape where farming, water and livelihoods are closely connected. However, flooding, land degradation and changing rainfall patterns have reduced arable land and are putting growing pressure on water and food security for many communities living within the catchment. Trust 2 Impact, supported by Partners for Water, aims to address these challenges through a systems approach combined with innovative financing models.
Working together with local communities, governments, knowledge institutions and partners, the initiative is developing a long-term programme for landscape restoration. Pilot activities are currently taking place in the Nyando River catchment, with a focus on agroforestry and riparian rehabilitation. We spoke with Ed Vermeulen, Managing Director of Trust 2 Impact and local community member Maurice Onyango to explore how the challenges are experienced on the ground and how Trust 2 Impact is working to address them.
Living in the middle of the catchment
Maurice is a small-scale farmer from the Awasi area in the Nyando River catchment. Like many others in his community, his livelihood depends directly on the land and on the river that runs through it. Located between the highlands upstream and Lake Victoria downstream, the area is increasingly affected by seasonal flooding. During periods of heavy rainfall, water from the upper catchment flows rapidly downstream. “We are in the middle,” Maurice explains, “when it rains in the mountains, the river breaks its banks and washes away homesteads, livestock and crops.”
Until a few years ago, farming could still provide some extra income. “With the continuous flooding, the size of the farm has been reduced,” Maurice says. “We used to sell produce. Now most people farm mainly for family survival.”
The effects of climate change also affect Lake Victoria itself. Invasive water hyacinth, thriving under current climate conditions, has taken over large parts of the shoreline. “It blocks fishermen and affects the fish we used to have,” Maurice shares. “We used to get big fish that could feed several homesteads. Today we get only very small ones.”
What we are seeing here is not just a local issue. Climate change, together with land, water and forest degradation, is cascading through entire systems. It is already having a measurable economic impact, estimated at around two per cent of GDP each year across the region.
From ambition to action
Trust 2 Impact set out with the ambition to address the interconnected challenges of water and food systems across the wider Lake Victoria region, driven by the conviction that fragmented, short-term interventions are insufficient for complex, systemic problems. As the programme developed, however, the team realised that this broad scope was difficult to operationalise. “At first our scope was too wide,” says Ed. “All the investors believed in the aspiration, none of them believed such a scope was manageable from the start.”
As a result, Trust 2 Impact chose a clearly defined starting point: the rehabilitation of the Nyando River catchment. The programme is starting with pilot activities focused on agroforestry and riparian rehabilitation, aimed at restoring degraded land, reducing upstream flood risks and improving soil and water conditions. The ambition is to restore 60,000 hectares.
“In parallel, we are developing financing models that can support long-term investment in catchment restoration,” Ed adds. “We aim to bring different types of funders together in a way that safeguards the social purpose of the programme. The idea is that those who create value through ecosystem restoration benefit most, and that these models can be replicated as the approach scales to other regions.”
Working with complexity: applying a systemic approach
According to Ed, the challenges facing the Nyando River catchment are not isolated problems but interconnected systemic issues that need to be addressed at ecosystem scale. “When ecosystems are under pressure, communities become more vulnerable and resources start to run out. That is why you must address the root causes,” he says. “Our systems approach allows us to look at the rehabilitation of an entire ecosystem with all its complexity. But this requires moving beyond organisational silos.”
He adds that this type of collaboration does not always come naturally. “We are so used to working within the protective walls of our own silo,” he notes. “The entire approach is rooted in trusted collaborations, involving all levels of society, where partners work together on one shared mission and shared key performance indicators.”
Communities at the heart of value creation
“The community has received our programme with open arms,” says Ed. “They participate in all the meetings where we ask for their input.” This involvement reflects Trust 2 Impact’s approach, which places communities at the centre of the programme and views engagement as an ongoing, iterative process.
When Trust 2 Impact was first introduced in Awasi, the response from the people was hopeful. “The first thing that came to my mind was that help is on the way to stop the flooding,” Maurice recalls. “They gave us tree seedlings along the river and for agroforestry,” he explains. “They also gave us fruit seedlings, and agronomists showed us how to plant and take care of them.”
According to Maurice, this initial support is already making a difference. “The information and technical input we receive has helped put food on the table,” he says. “We can see better harvests.” For Trust 2 Impact, this link between restoration and shared benefit is fundamental. “In our regenerative enterprise, we are all shareholders,” Ed explains.
Success measured beyond numbers
In the end, success will be measured across social, environmental, economic and governance dimensions. “When communities can lift themselves out of poverty and ecosystem functions are restored, we know we are on the right path,” says Ed. For Maurice, success is tangible and immediate. “When flooding stops, the land that was lost to water can be reclaimed,” he says. “That means a larger area to farm, and an abundance of food.”
This is the first of a series of three articles. Stay tuned for more in-depth insights.
In Kenya’s Rift Valley, millions rely on groundwater containing dangerous levels of fluoride, causing serious health issues in local communities. Julius Kubai, Director of Harbauer Limited, explains how he and his consortium partners are piloting an innovative household water treatment solution that simultaneously tackles both bacterial and fluoride contamination. Funded by Partners for Water, their unique solution aims to transform lives and make safe drinking water accessible to Kenyans.
After spending two decades working in Kenya’s water sector, Julius Kubai has witnessed first-hand the challenges communities face with contaminated groundwater. From his office in Nakuru, he shares how his journey from drilling water boreholes led to developing innovative solutions for fluoride removal. “I used to work with the local Catholic Diocese drilling water boreholes for local communities. While doing so, we consistently encountered dangerously high levels of fluoride. This pushed us to do research on appropriate technology to remove fluoride and provide safe drinking water,” explains Kubai.
In 2018, Harbauer Limited took over the fluoride removal project from the Catholic Diocese. Now, it focusses on providing filters and decentralised filter stations using HAP (hydroxylapatite) filter material for households, communities and public water suppliers. Harbauer Limited, with support from a Partners for Water subsidy together with consortium partners Resilience BV, Nazava Water Filters Ltd. and Delft University of Technology, is developing a fluoride-removing add-on to enhance the existing and widely used Nazava Water Filter, which removes bacteria from water.
Severe health issues
“In many areas, especially the Rift Valley, groundwater fluoride levels are two to six times higher than the World Health Organisation’s guideline that prescribes a maximum of 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per litre of drinking water,” says Kubai. “The impact on communities is severe. Beyond brown teeth, which affects people’s self-esteem and even job opportunities, excessive fluoride can cause skeletal fluorosis – a chronic metabolic bone disease affecting bones and joints. Growing children are particularly vulnerable to these effects.”
Rift Valley where the fluoride problem occurs.
Innovative water filter solution
Harbauer Limited has demonstrated success in cleaning groundwater using HAPaqua, a special adsorbent that significantly reduces fluoride concentration. “We’re now piloting our fluoride removal technology with Nazava Water Filter’s existing ceramic filter system,” Kubai explains. “What makes our solution truly innovative is that we’re addressing two critical water quality issues at once – bacterial and fluoride contamination – at the household level.”
Testing and development
“Currently, we’re running parallel experiments with two different water sources. One in our office compound and one in a nearby community,” says Kubai. “The water source from the community has around 10 milligrams of fluoride per litre, while the one in our office compound has about 5 milligrams. This comparative testing helps us understand how the filter performs under different conditions.” While doing so, the project brings together the expertise from its multiple partners: Resilience BV leads the consortium, with Nazava Water Filters Ltd. contributing their established ceramic water filter technology. The partners are collaborating with TU Delft and Harbauer in designing and testing the new add-on component whilst ensuring community involvement.
Community-centered approach
“Our goal isn’t just to create a filter – it’s to develop a solution that communities will actually use,” stresses Kubai. “By June, we aim to have an affordable household filter that has been tested by the community. Their feedback on design and usability is crucial. We want to ensure the final product meets their needs and is acceptable to them before scaling up.” Looking ahead, Kubai is optimistic about the project’s potential impact. “Once we have a solution that’s both affordable and meets community needs, we plan to expand throughout Kenya’s fluoride-affected areas, making safe drinking water accessible to all Kenyans who need it.”
Is it possible to transform traditional supply chains in a way that benefits everyone involved? Jacana Foundation took on this challenge. Together with MetaMeta, they developed an innovative irrigation technology and supply method that empowers Zambian smallholder farmers and local entrepreneurs. Rik Haanen, co-founder and director of the Jacana Foundation, explains how their pilot project, funded by Partners for Water, is now being rolled out and tested in Zambia.
Nineteen years ago, Haanen sold his software company in the Netherlands and moved to Africa with his wife to work for various NGOs and government organisations. After working in Ghana, Tanzania and Kenya, they settled in Zambia, where they established the Jacana Foundation, which supports small-scale local entrepreneurs. “During our travels, we saw NGOs buying products directly from manufacturers and delivering them by lorry to villages. Often, this forced local shops to dump the same products, creating unfair competition. So, we thought, let’s see how we could do this differently,” Haanen explains. With Jacana, they developed a supply chain that collaborates with NGOs and local shop owners, with the initial focus on an affordable portable solar pump to address water scarcity among Zambian farmers .
The project turned out to be a success. Now, with consortium partner MetaMeta and funding from Partners for Water, they plan to develop and roll out the concept over the next two years across Zambia and beyond.
Innovative solar pomp
In sunny Zambia, Haanen shows Tabitha Bakker, writer of this article, on a digital tour of Jacana’s office grounds, which serve as both a workshop for the innovative pump and a training centre for local entrepreneurs. A water drum and solar panel stand in the middle of the lawn in front of the office. “Look,” says Haanen, lifting a small blue pump from the drum, “the farmer places this pump in a stream or well. The portable solar panel powers the pump, drawing water through the hose from the source.” He explains that not only is the pump innovative, but so is its distribution model.
Changing the supply chain
“We’ve developed a supply chain that connects local distributors, shops and NGOs. The NGOs provide farmers with vouchers to purchase a pump at a local shop for a small fee. This personal contribution is shared between the shop owner and the warehouse. Rather than NGOs delivering pumps by lorry, they now travel by scooter with vouchers in their backpacks, benefiting local entrepreneurs too.”
Affordable irrigation technology
“The innovative aspect of this irrigation technology is that it’s extremely affordable,” explains Haanen. “Typically, pumps are designed for larger water consumption. By adapting the pump to smallholder farmers’ consumption needs, it’s become much more affordable. A farmer can recover the cost with just one good maize harvest – they don’t even need a coupon or credit for that.”
Tracking the impact
The project’s impact reaches beyond the voucher recipients. “Farmers from the recipients’ networks are also buying pumps. They’ve seen the success of the voucher programme, know where to find the shops and because the pump is affordable, they can purchase it without sponsorship.” Through a specially designed app, NGOs can track pump sales from shops and warehouses, monitoring their impact beyond the initial voucher programme.
Scaling up through partnerships
“Currently, we’re working with nine local shops, a local warehouse, MetaMeta and a Chinese manufacturer for large-scale production,” says Haanen. “MetaMeta manages various SMART Centres (Simple Market-based Affordable Repairable Technologies) across Africa. These centres train the local private sector in affordable and repairable technologies for water, irrigation and sanitation. Through this network, we aim to extend our pump and supply chain model to other African countries.”
From testing to expanding
The consortium is six months into this two-year Partners for Water project. “In this first phase, we’re testing seventy Zambian-made pumps to optimise the supply chain and software. In parallel, we’re working with a Chinese manufacturer to develop a version for mass production. Next week, I’m visiting the factory to finalise material choices before production begins. And in a year and a half? We aim to have fully rolled out the concept in Zambia and be ready for international expansion.”
As we look forward to the upcoming event co-organized by Partners for Water, RVO and IUCN on biodiversity, Heleen van den Hombergh explains why nature’s diversity is “extremely important” and extends far beyond just environmental benefits.
Heleen van den Hombergh is an advisor on agricultural-commodities and nature-based solutions at the IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands. She got involved in organizing this event with PFW and RVO because companies that work abroad or have an impact abroad are key to helping preserve biodiversity, which is the IUCN’s greatest concern.
“Biodiversity forms the foundation of our lives, of the resources we all depend on,” explains Van den Hombergh without any doubt in her voice. It is essential for ecosystem health, but also crucial to combat climate change, ensure human well-being, and for economic activities like agriculture, and the water sector. Biodiversity provides vital services such as clean air and water and pollination, and is key for climate mitigation and adaptation.
However, as we all know, it faces threats from habitat loss, climate change, pollution, over-exploitation, and invasive species. Protecting biodiversity is crucial for sustaining life.
Hondsbossche Dunes
In the water sector, the Hondsbossche Dunes in the Netherlands provide a good example of an area with high biodiversity. This project was initiated to offer protection against rising sea levels but also included nature development, such as dune formation and creating habitats for plants and animals. This kind of nature-based solution combines infrastructure with nature restoration and has been exported to other countries, such as those in West Africa, to protect coasts against erosion and flooding. Developing ‘robust nature’ is essential in this context; it means an ecosystem that can sustain itself over time and has high biodiversity, including plants, birds, and grasses that are resilient and can survive under changing conditions.
Without proper care for nature – protecting, supporting, and restoring it – our productivity and food security are at risk.
Agricultural crops
Van den Hombergh works a lot with the sustainable production of agricultural commodities. “Without proper care for nature – protecting, supporting, and restoring it – our productivity and food security are at risk,” she explains, pointing out why preserving biodiversity is also crucial for the stability and yield of agricultural crops.
“Deforestation and loss of vegetation lead to unstable water systems and poor harvests, as has happened with soya in Argentina and the United States.”
Van den Hombergh argues that while promoting conversion-free sustainable agricultural practices in international value chains is vital, we also need to strive for a better balance in our diet, with more plant-based proteins instead of animal proteins.
“The current intensive model does need to change to allow more space for nature and healthy food in the long term. Farmers around the world can be invited to contribute to this transition.”
Sharing knowledge
According to Van den Hombergh, the event is “a unique opportunity for cross-pollination between different sectors: the water sector, the agricultural sector, the financial sector, and transformation thinkers. Participants are offered the chance to look beyond their own field and be inspired by best practices from other sectors.”
An important theme is how biodiversity affects water security and management. She explains that robust nature can help manage water flows, retain water, and prevent sudden shocks such as floods or droughts.
The ‘Room for the River’ programme in the Netherlands has helped prevent flooding by giving rivers more space and restoring natural areas that work like sponges.
The challenge, she acknowledges, is communicating the importance of biodiversity and nature-based solutions. Although there are already many collaborations taking place, the main goal of the event is to “inspire people, show them the latest insights and best practices, and encourage transformative thinking.”
Helene van den Hombergh is a specialist in the fields of biodiversity, agricultural commodities and sustainability, with a particular focus on integrating ecological concerns into business practices and policy. She has worked extensively with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governmental bodies, and the private sector to promote sustainable development strategies that align economic activities with environmental protection.
Biodiversity event
On 1 October, we are organising a biodiversity event together with the International Union for Conservation of Nature in The Netherlands (IUCN).
Join the event: Shaping a Biodiversity Proof Future on October 1, 2024.
NOTE: The event is fully booked, but you can register. You will then be put on the waiting list. Should a place become available, you will receive an e-mail confirming your participation in the event.
Join us for: Shaping a Biodiversity Proof FutureOn 1 October 2024, Partners for Water and the International Union for Conservation of Nature in The Netherlands (IUCN) are organising a biodiversity event at Museon in the Hague.
This event will showcase the value of biodiversity, it will give you insights in overcoming obstacles to combat biodiversity decline and increasing water security and how to mainstream biodiversity within international development and water security programmes.
Visit the eventpage and discover who’s invited, why you should attend and how you can registrate.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to support & weigh in on this crucial cause with us to help shape a sustainable future.
Visit the eventpage: Shaping a Biodiversity Proof FutureTo structurally reduce biodiversity loss, political will is needed at all levels of government to ensure the integration of biodiversity in decision-making
How can we revolutionise Ghanaian horticulture? SOSIA+ aims to do so by providing farmers with a new perspective on growing vegetables through game-changing technologies.
Amid the bustling atmosphere of Cafe de Huiskamer at The Hague central station, we sit down with SOSIA+ project members Lindsey Schwidder, Benny Ampong, Samuel Kwame Darbah, and Prince Baffour to discuss their collaborative efforts on this innovative pilot project.
Lindsey is the Project Manager at the Innovation & Impact Centre at Delft University of Technology and the project leader of the SOSIA+ project. As the Technical Manager at Holland Greentech, Benny serves as the SOSIA+ pilot irrigation expert in Ghana. Both Samuel and Prince are SOSIA+ training facilitators at the Kwadaso Agricultural College in Ghana, with Samuel also being the national coordinator of the ACHI Programme. This programme is part of the Dutch Combi Track approach, an initiative by the Dutch government where the government and businesses collaborate on projects in emerging markets. In Ghana, it supports better skills development for the younger generation of farmers.
The SOSIA+ project, funded by Partners for Water, is a collaborative effort conducted in Ghana by a consortium consisting of TU Delft, FutureWater, Holland Greentech and TAHMO. This pilot project aims to make the use of local weather data and climate-smart irrigation systems accessible for small-scale commercial farmers. By doing so, it seeks to improve water efficiency and crop yields, offering a renewed perspective on agriculture to the Ghanaian youth and farmers. Read our SOSIA+ introduction article to learn more about the project.
New technologies like SOSIA+’s irrigation systems are a game changer for the Ghanaian agricultural sector
Transforming Ghanaian horticulture
“New technologies like SOSIA+’s irrigation systems are a game changer for the Ghanaian agricultural sector,” says Samuel. He explains: “Many farmers are unaware that they don’t need to carry buckets of water or use inefficient sprinklers to irrigate their crops. By teaching the application of SOSIA+’s technology at our college and introducing students to role models like young agronomists from Holland Greentech, young farmers are becoming aware that farming can be an economically viable practice; its popularity is increasing.” Prince adds: “This has huge implications for the current unemployment challenges Ghana is facing and for improving our self-sufficiency in food production.”
Promising harvest
“It’s almost time for the second harvest,” says Benny, “and most farmers are very hopeful because they already see more fruit on their plants compared to when they were not using the system.” Lindsey mentions: “During the first harvest, the farmers encountered a lot of unexpected rain, which resulted in not having to use the irrigation system as much as anticipated. This will be the first comparable harvest data.” “That season was still very useful, though,” adds Benny, “because the farmers got the chance to develop their skills in using the irrigation system.”
Farmers’ scepticism
“It took a while for the farmers to have faith in the drip irrigation system,” says Prince. “Generally speaking, Ghanaians can be quite sceptical when it comes to adopting new practices, and they like to see ‘proof’ first, instead of pioneering new technologies.” Samuel explains how they anticipated this: “Only farmers who already had a serious interest in improving their farming practices to become economically more viable were chosen for the pilot project. Additionally, both Holland Greentech and Kwadaso Agricultural College provide sufficient support to the participating farmers. We built a trustworthy relationship with them and truly take into account their worries, needs, and wishes.”
Understanding the farmers’ context
“To include the farmers’ needs, you need to have boots on the ground and be open to adapting according to their feedback,” says Benny. “One unexpected feedback outcome was the farmers’ liking of the water meter, which we initially added to collect water usage data. It turns out that the farmers also use it to monitor their farm managers’ practices remotely. Now, Holland Greentech provides the water meter as an additional irrigation tool.” Lindsey adds: “To make a project like this work, it is important to adjust to the local norms and needs. As a Dutch person, I’m unable to truly comprehend what exactly that means for the Ghanaian context. That is why it is not only valuable but also essential to work with local partners.”
Scaling up
A year and a half in, the SOSIA+ irrigation tool is becoming more widely known throughout Ghana. “People from all over the country apply to do the agriculture course at our college because we teach about this efficient technology and its practical application. There is more demand than we can meet at the moment,” says Samuel. Lindsey adds: “The collaboration with Kwadaso Agricultural College helps to widen the scope of the SOSIA+ project. Soon, we will expand to other colleges as well to teach new agriculturists to apply technologies that support farming to become a sustainable and economically viable business.”
Innovation in progress series
During the Partners for Water 2022 – 2027 programme, 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!
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 should not be an afterthought but a starting point in designing resilient living environments.”
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.
‘Integrating biodiversity into water solutions can both strengthen water management and address biodiversity challenges,’ states Nico Tillie from TU Delft. During the Waterproof 2024 event organised by Partners for Water, Nico co-hosted a deep dive session into biodiversity and water issues. We spoke with him and discussed the importance of biodiversity in water projects, how to integrate it, and what he achieved during the deep dive session.
As a landscape architect, researcher and lecturer at the Urban Ecology & Ecocities Lab at TU Delft, Nico works daily on integrating biodiversity into landscape and water solutions. During Waterproof 2024, he and his colleague Rosa de Wolf held a deep dive session on incorporating biodiversity in addressing water challenges. Below, he explains how the water sector can embrace this important component for water solutions.
Nico Tillie – Photo by Peter Venema.
The Importance of biodiversity
Our water quality, coastal defences and groundwater levels, among other things, depend on ecosystems, which can only provide their services if there is sufficient biodiversity,’ explains Nico. Yet, when solving water problems, vegetation and biodiversity are often overlooked in the water cycle. Nico: ‘It is crucial that biodiversity forms a clear part of the approach when addressing water-related challenges; both for civil engineering and Nature-based Solutions.’
‘The water-biodiversity nexus has implications not only for water issues but also for food, CO2, and other climate-related issues,’ Nico adds. ‘By approaching water challenges more broadly and integrating biodiversity into the water cycle, the benefits become of all these interfaces become more apparent.’
Understanding the local system
‘Biodiversity is not only about the richness of species but also about habitat variety and genetic diversity. Together, they form a complex system.’ Nico explains that in order to develop biodiversity-focused water solutions, it is important to understand the local system as a whole and adapt solutions as much as possible to the local climate and water conditions. But how exactly do you do that as a water engineer, for example?
Nico: ‘Understanding the local system can be done by initially mapping the water system and its associated vegetation, and then the surrounding habitat and local species. From that starting point, you can search for relevant solutions.’ He indicates that it is very valuable to make use of local knowledge, ecologists, and multidisciplinary teams in the process.
Understanding the local system can be done by initially mapping the water system and its associated vegetation, and then the surrounding habitat and local species.
Pattern language
‘What will further promote biodiversity-focused water solutions is using clear and unambiguous ‘language’ when talking about these themes”, says Nico. ‘At Delft University of Technology, we have developed a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) that helps water professionals better understand local ecosystems and biodiversity-related processes. In this course, professionals not only learn substantively about this theme, but they also become acquainted with the so-called ‘pattern language’. This is a common, easy-to-understand language used for designing solutions. As a result, people from various backgrounds can work together effectively on biodiversity and water issues.’
From April, you can find the developed MOOC on the TU Delft website.
Deep dive session at Waterproof
‘Pattern language acts as a bridge between ecological and hydrological knowledge,’ explains Nico. He demonstrated this during the Biodiversity Deep Dive Session that he led with his colleague Rosa Wolf at Waterproof 2024. They presented a case study to the participating ecologists, water engineers, and other water professionals about an arid city in Mexico with water problems. The participants were challenged to find a solution using biodiversity as the starting point. ‘After mapping the water system together, the participants were able to jointly identify relevant applications,’ he adds explains.
Nico also showed the participants a case in which he used so-called ‘solution cards’. He says: ‘When we have similar design sessions with stakeholders, we support them with solution cards that present possible applications in a way that is understandable to everyone. This enables stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to jointly comprehend the water system and determine which applications are necessary to ensure biodiversity plays a central role in solving the problem.’ After the deep-dive session, he received a lot of positive feedback from the participants. ‘The people seemed to really understand and get a better grasp on ecosystems and biodiversity!’
Nico Tillie presenting at Waterproof – Photo by Peter Venema.
Fundamentally integrating Biodiversity
“For me, biodiversity is an essential part of the water cycle because it can both strengthen water management and address biodiversity challenges. Looking ahead, I hope that this cyclical and systemic approach to biodiversity will become a fundamental part of technical solutions,” Nico says. Reflecting on the positive responses he and his colleague received during Waterproof 2024, he is already taking crucial steps towards that integrated future.
Partners for Water is a Dutch government programme enhancing water security internationally in long-term cooperation with local partners and the Dutch water sector. By facilitating strategic planning and support in the early stages of innovation, the programme aims to contribute to systemic change for sustainable water management and infrastructure. This is how we initiate impactful changes for a better living environment.
