How can degraded farmland in the Surinamese jungle be regenerated? Johan Tijms from agricultural mechanisation company Tijms Mechanisatie VOF can explain. Together with consortium partner Attro Trading Africa, he is addressing Suriname’s drought and salinisation challenges through an innovative pilot project funded by Partners for Water. Discover how they are bringing soil back to life through an affordable and effective approach.

Johan Tijms, director of Tijms Mechanisatie VOF, has been working in the international field of soil regeneration and sustainable irrigation systems for over 25 years. From his office in Geesbrug, he elaborates on the innovative ‘Precise Irrigation Systems’ project. Together with the business consulting and project development organisation Attro Trading Africa, he aims to provide sustainable solutions for problems in agriculture arising from poor soil conditions. In Suriname, the consortium is tackling these challenges through a pilot project funded by Partners for Water. This pilot is testing a solar-powered, sensor-controlled drip irrigation and desalination system designed to address local drought, salinisation and flooding issues, ultimately rehabilitating degraded agricultural land owned by an indigenous Surinamese community.

Drought and salinisation

“Due to drought and unsustainable farming practices, Surinamese agricultural land is rapidly becoming comparable to concrete,” says Johan. “In some areas, the soil is so degraded that it doesn’t absorb water anymore. This causes water to accumulate, leading to both flooding and unusable farmland.” Suriname suffers not only from drought but also from salinisation. “The salt content of groundwater in Suriname is often too high for irrigation practices, leading to crop failures and threatening livelihoods. For instance, the members of the indigenous community where we are conducting the pilot project cannot sustain themselves with their conventional farming practices and must buy additional food from the market.”

From concrete to sponge

“Our solution creates usable irrigation water and turns soil into a water-absorbing sponge,” says Johan. “We achieve this through a drip irrigation system which applies water slowly and efficiently at the root zone of the plants. By doing so, it reduces the amount of runoff and therefore soil erosion.” In addition, the consortium desalinates ground water by using a desalination machine that utilises calcium carbonate. Johan explains: “This method is more cost-effective than others, such as reverse osmosis, due to its lower energy consumption and cheaper materials.” Both the drip and desalination machines are powered by solar panels. “All together, this makes the solution affordable for the relatively poor local community.”

In practice

“The piece of agricultural land we are regenerating covers an area of about five hectares and is located in the middle of the Surinamese jungle. It belongs to an indigenous community of about 300 people.” Johan explains that the land had been declared unusable. “In practice, an unusable piece of farmland means new land will be cleared by cutting down trees. When that land also becomes unusable, the same cycle is repeated. Now that the local community is receiving tools and training to keep the land farmable, not only are their livelihoods improving, but consistent deforestation is also prevented.”

A self-sustaining project

Tijms installed the machines together with Attro. “We train the users to maintain the machines themselves and we’re ready to assist whenever necessary. For instance, a water pump broke down initially because it had pumped up too much sand. We decided to get on a plane with new parts to repair the pump ourselves,” says Johan. He continues: “The success of such a project depends on the commitment and effort from both you and the users. If both parties are dedicated to its success, then you ensure it happens.”

“We also provided financial and business training to prepare the community for maintenance costs,” notes Johan. “Essentially, the installation should facilitate enough harvest to not only sustain livelihoods but also sell crops at the market. This enables the community to save money to replace certain installation components when they near the end of their life cycle. This way, the project becomes self-sustaining.”

Successful collaborations

“So far, the project has been a great success, and we owe much of that to some fantastic collaborations,” notes Johan. “For instance, the Dutch Embassy and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries in Suriname have actively helped us with their network and by connecting us with the participating community. Additionally, the community leader was incredibly motivated. Thanks to her dedication and involvement, the project has been embraced by the whole community.” Johan continues, “our collaboration with Partners for Water has also been incredibly valuable. The Partners for Water team has provided significant support, always responded quickly, and demonstrated their commitment to the successful completion of this project in every way.”

What’s next?

“In November, we will complete the project. So far, it seems to be very successful! Based on soil samples, we see that desalination is working and the soil is becoming nutrient-rich and porous again. Additionally, the local community is already selling products at the market.” The solution has significant potential for scaling up both within Suriname and internationally. Johan notes that they already plan to implement parts of this concept in another region of Suriname. “Through the drip irrigation system in combination with a bio enzyme, we plan to clean the soil of Fusarium, a common fungus in banana plants, in certain banana plantations in Suriname.”

The Government of Indonesia, in partnership with the East Java Province and the Government of the Netherlands, continues to collaborate on addressing water challenges in the Welang Watershed works in East Java, Indonesia. The project began in 2020, and is currently midway through its second phase.

By engaging in a co-creation process with communities, regional experts, and provincial and local governments, the project further details priority interventions for key water challenges in the catchment area. Here are some updates on the progress.

A multi-stakeholder approach

Rapid urban and economic development in the Welang Watershed has led to numerous water-related challenges. These include erosion on slopes, sedimentation in rivers, urban flooding, and water distribution issues. Given the involvement of many stakeholders in both the problems and their solutions, the project adopts a multi-stakeholder approach, guided by three key principles:

1. Achieving Practical Co-Creation Results: Ensuring solutions are compatible with the Indonesian water framework.
2. Creating Replicable Solutions: Developing solutions that can be implemented without substantial external support.
3. Mobilizing Local Resources: Fostering an environment where local resources are utilized for joint solutions.

These guiding principles are applied across both the upstream and mid-/downstream areas of the Welang River, allowing the project to tackle challenges from multiple perspectives and involve various sets of stakeholders.

Integrated focus across the catchment

Wonosari and Surorowo
In the upstream areas of the Welang River, the focus is on water resource conservation. This is achieved by introducing low-cost and low-tech soil and water conservation measures, such as gully plugs. These measures are designed to reduce runoff and soil erosion, and increase water infiltration. Project activities in the upstream areas center around the Wonosari tea plantation and the Surorowo sub-village.

At Wonosari, coordination with the tea plantation administration ensured strong support throughout the implementation phase. This collaboration resulted in the successful installation of 140 gully plugs. A month later, feedback from the tea plantation administrator confirmed that the plugs effectively mitigated runoff onto the streets after heavy rainfall.

To begin implementation in Surorowo, a collaboration agreement was needed between Perhutani, the concession permit holder, and the East Java Province, the project partner. Thanks to the strong commitment from both parties, the administrative process was completed much faster than usual. This efficiency allowed ground implementation to start in parallel, resulting in the completion of 18 gully plugs by April, with plans for more.

Community

The active involvement of the community in the construction process sparked enthusiasm among local people. Many expressed interest in replicating similar infrastructure on their own, empowered by the realization that these initiatives can be achieved with locally available materials. Pak Imam, the manager of the tea plantation, explained: “Yes, it works. Before we implemented these gully plugs, there was usually runoff after it rained, and we couldn’t pass the small roads in the plantation.”

Additionally, in collaboration with the University of Malang, the implemented measures are being monitored to collect baseline data on runoff volume, existing gullies, sedimentation, and infiltration rates.

Sidogiri / Welang Lama

In the downstream and midstream areas of the Welang River catchment, specifically in Sidogiri and Welang Lama, significant progress is being made to address frequent flooding issues affecting local communities. A key part of this effort involved workshops with local schools to raise awareness and encourage community participation in waste management, recognizing that waste blockages are a major cause of flooding. These initiatives emerged from the initial co-creation session where stakeholders identified waste management as crucial for flood mitigation.

Collaborations with Universitas Negeri Malang, Universitas Brawijaya, and ITS Surabaya have driven progress. Students conducted detailed field surveys to understand the dynamics of flooding. This data, combined with a hydraulic assessment by the project team, formed the foundation for a co-creation workshop where stakeholders reviewed and provided feedback on proposed flood mitigation measures. This inclusive approach ensures that solutions have community support and incorporate local knowledge, paving the way for lasting impact in managing the river basin’s challenges.

Strategic alignment with ongoing NL-funded projects

One of the goals of the Welang project is to integrate and align its activities with other initiatives in the East Java region to enhance capacity-building and promote local ownership. The Welang project has partnered with the OKP tailor-made training program, designed to equip civil servants in East Java Province with essential skills for cross-sectoral collaboration and addressing water management challenges.

Additionally, the project is exploring collaboration opportunities with the Brantas River basin project, which aims to improve wastewater management. In February and March, site visits to the Brantas River were conducted to gain insights from the Brantasae application, with the aim of integrating its features into the Welang project. Brantasae is a map-based application that collects public-uploaded data on water quality, waste generation, and overall river basin issues or initiatives. It serves as a data inventory platform to support river assessment and monitoring.

Background Information:
The Dutch-Indonesian Consortium embodies a collaborative and sustainable approach to addressing Indonesia’s water challenges.
The project is facilitated by the consortium comprising three key organizations: Witteveen + Bos, Nuffic Southeast Asia, and AidEnvironment.

• Witteveen + Bos: Leads overall project management and provides expertise in hydraulic modeling, alongside coordinating community waste management activities.
• Nuffic Southeast Asia: Ensures the integration of co-created solutions within institutions, engaging regional experts and students in the process.
• AidEnvironment: Facilitates community involvement and implements agricultural solutions focused on water conservation and erosion control.

Funded by Partners for Water

This project has been receiving funding by Partners for Water because we underpin the longstanding cooperation between the governments of Indonesia and the Netherlands on water management (MoU Water) and are dedicated to enhancing water security globally through enduring partnerships between local stakeholders and the Dutch water sector. By fostering knowledge exchange, promoting innovations, and advocating an integrated approach, we aim to contribute positively to water security for people, plants, and animals.

For further inquiries, please contact: Simon van Meijeren, Programme Advisor Partners for Water Indonesia.

Partners for Water has granted subsidies to eight consortia aiming to enhance water security abroad with innovative solutions. This is the result of the fourth round of subsidies under the Partners for Water 2022-2027 programme. The scheme provides an opportunity for companies, knowledge institutions, and NGOs in the water sector to research and test their approaches to sustainable water management. The organisations that have been granted a subsidy will work in Vietnam, India, the Philippines, Kenya, Taiwan, the United States of America and Zambia.

The 8 subsidised projects

Discover the 8 participating organisations and their innovative pilot projects and feasibility studies on water security below.

PROCAS (Vietnam)

PROCAS aims to enhance water quality, reduce pollution, and establish a sustainable business model by treating wastewater and converting waste streams from cassava processing into valuable resources in Vietnam. The consortium will design and construct a pilot plant to process cassava fruit juice and recover its proteins. This initiative seeks to reduce nitrogen emissions, improve water quality, and promote a circular economy. During the pilot phase, comprehensive on-site tests will be conducted to optimise processes, and an economic analysis will assess the project’s feasibility.

Consortium: Colubris Cleantech, Yenbinh, STAMEX, Meijer Consult

Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring with Io(U)T (India)

This project aims to tackle severe water pollution and its monitoring in the Ganga River and key water bodies in Tamil Nadu and Goa, India. It will enable comprehensive water quality monitoring while minimising theft and vandalism risks through a submerged setup. This solution involves Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring (RTWQM) using Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT) technology, creating a wireless sensor network for real-time data transmission to a cloud dashboard. Expected outcomes of the project include a robust real-time water quality monitoring network for one year at five key locations, aiming support data-driven environmental management and effective environmental regulations and policies.

Consortium: Planys Technologies and Variya Tech

Tackling fluoride contamination (Kenya)

In Kenya’s Rift Valley, fluoride concentrations in water sources often exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended guidelines by 2 to 6 times. These elevated fluoride levels cause widespread skeletal and dental fluorosis among the local population. This project aims to provide affordable, safe, and clean drinking water at the household level by enhancing the existing Nazava Water Filter, which removes bacteria, with an add-on to effectively remove fluoride. By doing so, the project addresses both bacterial and fluoride contamination simultaneously.

Consortium: Resilience BV, Nazava Water Filters Ltd., Delft University of Technology and Harbauer Ltd. Kenya.

GREENCHEM in Asian Water Treatment (Taiwan)

The GREENCHEM project aims to address challenges in algae-impaired water (AIW) treatment by introducing an innovative green chemical developed by FerrTech, named Fersol©. This sustainable alternative to traditional pre-chlorination enhanced coagulation offers improved water quality, lower treatment costs, reduced environmental impact, and simpler engineering. The project, conducted in Taiwan, will assess the feasibility of Fersol© for algae and algal toxin mitigation in local AIW for drinking purposes. During this feasibility study, the consortium will identify local treatment challenges, estimate improvements, evaluate the project’s strengths and weaknesses, and develop a pilot-scale implementation roadmap.

Consortium: IHE Delft, FERR-Tech, and others.

Restoration of Coastal Ecosystems with BESE-elements (United States of America)

This project addresses the challenges of restoring degraded ecosystems along the United States’ coastal zones by utilising BESE-elements developed by BESE. Their solution consists of a temporary structure crafted from biodegradable biopolymers, designed to provide a kickstart agent for restoring organisms crucial to the health of coastal ecosystems. Over time, these structures gradually degrade, creating space for the renewed ecosystem to flourish. During the pilot phase, the consortium will conduct field trials to determine the solution’s efficacy in restoring oyster reefs and salt marshes. This aims to assess the performance of their innovation and validate it before large-scale application can commence.

Consortium: RB Biobased Institute B.V., Bato Plastics B.V., Stichting NIOZ (Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut voor Onderzoek der Zee), the University of Florida, and the University of Central Florida

Real Life Water Budgets for Sustainable Water management (India)

In Bagalkot District, India, 70% of the population depends on agriculture. This district increasingly relies on groundwater extraction for irrigation, leading to rapidly declining groundwater tables. The consortium aims to address this issue by providing volumetric water budgets through real-time, sensor-based, time-series modelling. Watermappers’ level and flow sensors will be installed to monitor critical water resources in real time, with data shared on a real-time dashboard accessible to all participant farmers and the public online. The time-series model will calculate water budget projections, leading to actionable insights for the farmers.

Consortium: Whysor, Kiaar (K.J. Somaiya institute of applied agricultural research), Artesia, Solar Magic, Watermappers

Decentralised Wastewater Treatment (Philippines)

The Cleanblock pilot project addresses the critical challenge of wastewater management in Metro Manila, Philippines. Currently, only 30% of the wastewater is treated, posing severe environmental and health risks. The consortium aims to significantly improve water quality and public health by implementing the Cleanblock trickling filter technology to treat a substantial portion of the untreated wastewater. A former feasibility study has demonstrated promising results, with strong support from local partners eager to test the Cleanblock filters. By fostering ongoing collaborations and knowledge transfer, the project aims to expand the use of this technology across the Philippines, ensuring sustainable water management and environmental protection for the future.

Consortium:  Maynilad, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

Portable Solar Pumps for Small-Scale Farmers (Zambia)

Zambia, like many Sub-Saharan countries, experiences long, dry seasons and increasingly unreliable rain patterns, leading to crop losses and food insecurity. Many small-scale farmers have fields near streams or shallow groundwater, and could double their production with efficient water distribution.

New technology offers a solution: a locally assembled, portable solar pump, light enough for daily storage and affordable within one harvest. Jacana will redesign this pump for mass production and develop a sustainable supply chain involving small retailers, large importers, distributors, and NGOs to support small-scale farmers.

Consortium: MetaMeta, Jacana

Would you like to participate in the next subsidy round?

The subsidy scheme aims to support innovative projects from entrepreneurs, knowledge institutions and NGOs in the Dutch water sector that improve water security abroad. A new subsidy round opened in June and will be closed in September 2024. To be eligible, you can apply now for the mandatory intake interview.

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”.

Water, it touches the lives of every single person on this earth. Whether it’s too much, too little, too dirty or unequally distributed. Achieving a world where water is secure for all requires us to rethink water and climate adaptation efforts. For example, by looking into social inclusion.

In recent years, the water sector has taken several steps in this direction. Two things became clear: social inclusion is essential for sustainable interventions and collaboration on all levels is required to include this crucial process.

Climate- and water related problems often have the greatest impact on vulnerable people and the communities in which they live. Although these people have their own priorities, values and local knowledge, they are often seen as beneficiaries of the solution, rather than partners in resolving their water challenges. This approach fails to empower them, often resulting in missed opportunities for collaboration, community ownership and the valuable insights they can potentially bring to the table.

Levee breach in Colombia

Turning point

Starting in 2019, the Dutch water sector has made a conscious decision to initiate an open conversation about social inclusion and actively seek out different perspectives. This shift in approach was prompted by critiques from various scientists, NGOs, local governments and journalists, which included drawing attention to a lack of engagement with communities, culture and local governance. In order to pursue a more inclusive approach, the Dutch water sector is committed to actively listening to diverse voices, fostering dialogue and translating the outcomes into practical actions.

Community of Practice

With the aim of putting these intentions into practice, Partners for Water and Deltares started the Community of Practice on Social Inclusion, in 2019 . The community comprises of a diverse group of individuals from companies, knowledge institutions, NGO’s and governmental organisations. All of them are committed to learning about social inclusion, to sharing analyses and experiences, advising each other, developing improved practices and passing on the results to a wider audience.

Community of practice

Theory U

The aim of the Community of Practice is to foster a deeper understanding of the processes and perspectives that social inclusion encompasses rather than imposing a strict definition of it. One way of doing this, is by making use of Theory U developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Otto Scharmer. The theory aims to address complex challenges and foster transformative change. It involves practices like deep listening and observing the current situation supporting individuals or groups to suspend their habitual ways of thinking and open themselves up to new insights and possibilities (see Figure 1). Applying Theory U to integrate social inclusion in water management and climate adaptation enables a more participatory approach, ensuring that diverse perspectives and needs are incorporated into the process.

Making progress

While there are still many steps to undertake in this transformative journey, the water sector has recently taken important strides in addressing social inclusion in water management. For instance, by organising various sessions to openly discuss and reflect on important cases from the past few years, like Water as Leverage for Resilient Cities Asia1. After discussing with international experts and local stakeholder on the innovative approach of Water as Leverages, the Community of Practice recognised three actionable perspectives regarding inclusivity: inclusive community engagement, inclusive project development and inclusive commissioning. These perspectives were translated into potential entry points for improving social inclusion in water climate adaptation (see Table 1). Similar sessions were held to reflect on efforts involved in developing and applying the Manila Bay Sustainable Master Plan in the Philippines and the cooperation between The Netherlands and the city of Beira in Mozambique. Within the water sector, all these sessions contributed to a growing understanding of and support for the concept of social inclusion in international water management.

Source: Water Governance International PP. 34

The Community of Practice also addressed social inclusion internationally by holding various side events during different global water conferences, like Climate Adaptation Summit 2021, the Waterproof 2021 event and the Stockholm Water Week 2023. During these events, professionals from diverse corners of the world came together to share examples of social inclusivity and to share best practices, challenges and practical tools for a more inclusive approach.

Learning and improving

Social inclusion leads to better outcomes and sustainable interventions and it cannot be achieved alone. Our aim is to enhance the integration of social inclusion in water and climate adaptation. How we strengthen these integration processes is something we must explore together. While learning and improving collectively, we discover our positions, develop new methods, test prototypes, discard old practices and step into our highest potential future.

We often say that patience is a virtue. Job Udo, partner and adviser within the River, Coasts and Delta department at research and consultancy firm HKV can vouch for that. In 2011 he worked on a flood risk project in Romania that was co-financed by Partners for Water.

While the concepts developed in the project were not immediately implemented, they proved to be a valuable stepping stone for the successful acquisition of a World Bank tender, standing as one of HKV’s biggest projects.

12 years ago Job worked on a project to support the Romanian government in developing flood risk maps. Job explains: ‘The project was financed by Partners for Water and consisted in giving training on innovative, probabilistic methods and developing a nature-friendly measure to limit flood risks.’ What Job couldn’t have imagined back then, was that the plans from 2011 and the network that he had left over in 2021 would play an important role in winning and implementing a World Bank tender.

World Bank tender

Via the World Bank tender, HKV, together with three other companies from England and Romania, were tasked with determining the flood risks in Romania, in accordance with the European Floods Directive. Together with the Romanian Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, dozens of local counterparts and a large number of Dutch colleagues, Job identified the flood risks throughout Romania and developed plans to limit these risks.

Mapping flood risks

Job enthusiastically explains what he has been working on over the past two years: ‘As well as mapping over 100 areas at risk of flooding, for 30 of these areas we worked out measures to reduce the risks.’ Job explains that in order to do this, they gratefully made use of the project that was financed by Partners for Water in 2011: ‘At that time, we developed nature-friendly measures to reduce the flood risks for a flood plain along the Danube. We used the same concept again and also applied it to other areas lying along the banks of the Danube.’

Space for river nature

The team deliberately chose to implement nature-friendly measures, because Romania depends on European funding for the implementation of the measures. Job explains: ‘From the European Union the focus is on greening European waters and using Nature-based Solutions. This is why most of the measures that we have proposed focus on improving river nature and making space for the water’s natural course.’

The Romanian context

After working in Romania for 15 years, Job knows the local work culture and has a close connection with his Romanian counterparts: ‘The people here have in-depth knowledge and skills in the field of water management. In contrast with the Netherlands, the country is managed centrally. You can also see this way of working reflected in the local organisations. Employees who are below management level often don’t make any significant work-related decisions here. This is why it’s important to know the right people in the right positions.’

Waiting for implementation

The implementation plans developed following the World Bank tender were submitted to the Romanian government last spring and we’re now waiting for approval for financing. In order to increase the chances of the nature-friendly measures being implemented, the Romanian government has also submitted the concept from 2011 – for the areas around the Danube – to a European biodiversity programme. Job: ‘Hopefully the plans will be approved quickly so that we can obtain the necessary funding and the measures can be implemented. I am quite proud that the Romanian government has so embraced this concept, and this is partly thanks to the initial Partners for Water project.’

No food can be produced without fresh water. Given that our fresh water supply is diminishing, we need to carefully manage our scarce supply in order to achieve a future where nobody goes to bed hungry.

That is why the theme of this year’s World Food Day is ‘Water is life, water is food, leave no one behind.’ Simon van Meijeren, programme advisor at Partners for Water, tells us how two Partner for Water projects in South America reflect this theme.

European countries import fruits and vegetables from countries such as Chile and Peru where water availability is a concern. ‘As a result,  we are basically extending our water demand overseas’, says Simon. ‘This means that efficient water usage over there is also a responsibility for us over here. That is why we support collaborative processes that aim to improve production value chains in countries like Chile and Peru.’

Market transformation process

In Chile, Partners for Water works in the Aconcagua valley together with Dutch and Chilean partners. This valley is a major source of fruits such as avocados, that get imported to the Netherlands. However,  the area experiences droughts and has limited water supply, putting a strain on both production and the local ecosystem.

Simon explains: ‘The first steps taken in this collaborative project consisted of hosting a series of webinars in 2021, bringing together a wide range of parties who were either active in the fruit sector or contributing to sustainability efforts down the value chain. Detailed insights about the valley were gained through a catchment-passport: a document that provides a scientific, specific and clear description of the local water situation and key challenges.’

At the same time, a local network of producers and relevant actors called ‘Red Aconcagua.’ was established. The network develops a strategy for achieving sustainable water supplies in the valley and provides guidance on the first practical steps needed to realise this. ‘We will map the water footprint of various producers and identify ways to reduce it. In addition, a market transformation process will begin bringing together international value chain partners such as large exporters and retailers in order to form a shared vision on Aconcagua and determine the first steps necessary to make the value chain more sustainable. By doing this, we are engaging with both local and international stakeholders on a shared sustainability mission.’ says Simon.

Water stewardship

‘We’re focusing on similar issues in Peru with the Water Stewardship project’, Simon adds. ‘There, a coalition of retailers, traders, governments and social initiatives have come together to make the fruit and vegetable value chain more resilient by, for example, strengthening the catchment’s water cycle, conserving biodiversity, reducing soil runoff and improving community livelihoods.’

These initiatives are incorporated into an overall water stewardship plan for the area. ‘The strength lies in scaling up water solutions together reducing costs that you would incur  if you tried to address water risks in your value chain on your own’, Simon explains.

Collective action

These two projects differ in terms of their approach: ‘In Chile we started from a shared vision’, Simon says. ‘We formed a coalition and gradually built up trust through developing and executing joint plans together. Whereas in Peru, the coalition already existed. We started with a collective action through interventions and  cooperation. This enabled us to build trust in order to develop a shared ambition and a long-term plan. We built the relationship by doing.’

What these projects have in common is their key success factor: involving the whole value chain. ‘To realise lasting positive change, every party of the value chain needs to contribute. From producer, importer, retailer to consumer.’ Simon says

Raising awareness is crucial to achieve this: ‘Ask yourself what part can you take responsibility for. Retailers need to ask for a product which is sustainably produced and consumers must value this by paying a fair price. A producer needs to ask: do I want to generate maximum output in a relatively short time, or do I want to produce less, more sustainably, so that I can continue production twenty years from now? With collective action, things can really change’, concludes Simon.

The Water Balance Pilot project is an initiative of Henk Ovink, the Netherlands’ first Special Envoy for International Water Affairs. It is funded by Partners for Water, in partnership with the city of Chennai, UN-Habitat and Resilience Cities Network and supported by the UN High-level Panel on water, amongst others.

Blueprint for the city

The project serves as a model for how a city can become water-secure using Nature-based Solutions. It harvests rainwater and treats wastewater before recharging into the underground aquifer through infiltration gardens. Eva Pfannes, Director of Ooze Architects and Urbanists and team leader of City of 1000 Tanks shared details about the project: “The Water Balance Pilot project is the  first example that will reach its full potential when replicated in institutions across the city. In parallel, we plan to scale it up through a flagship project in Mylapore.”

Partners for Water

Partners for Water is honoured to make the Water Balance Pilot project financially possible. The objectives of the Partners for Water programme are to encourage knowledge sharing, innovation and an integrated approach. Through these efforts, we strive to contribute to the expansion of sustainable solutions that enhance water security. The City of 1000 Tanks seamlessly exemplifies these principles. The pilot initiative has gathered valuable knowledge and experience that can be harnessed in scaling up this innovative solution across various parts of the city and potentially beyond.

Dual-aquifer recharge wells

Generated by the 300 residents, the Water Balance Pilot project collects 27,000 litres of wastewater per day which is then treated in two stages: the first stage is where two underground anaerobic tanks, rich with microorganisms, work on the pollutants to achieve 80% of the treatment capacity and the following stage is where the water is then allowed to flow through created wetlands with helophytic plants enabling aerobic treatment. No toxic chemicals are used and the project is completely supported by solar power. Bad odours and mosquito breeding are also eliminated.

The treated water is then released to the ground through infiltration gardens. This minimum-maintenance project is equipped to harvest rainwater during Chennai’s short and intense monsoons. Dual-aquifer recharge wells collect, store, filter and finally recharge rainwater to the shallow and deep aquifers.

What is next?

To scale-up the Water Balance project to other parts of the city, the City of 1000 Tanks-team aims to involve the government such as the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the Greater Chennai Corporation for the greater good. In order to make Chennai water secure, they also welcome the participation from resident welfare associations, vulnerable communities, CSR partnerships and institutions.