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🌍 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗵, 𝗠𝗼𝘇𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 This year, three seed money projects have been making strides in addressing salinity issues. These initiatives, located in Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Senegal, explore diverse solutions to support agriculture and livelihoods affected by salinity. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 ✨ 🌾 Bangladesh: Harnessing Indigenous knowledge to adapt to salinity challenges. 🌳 Mozambique: Developing agroforestry solutions and educational materials. 🍚 Senegal: Promoting integrated salinity management for rice-based cropping systems. 💸 These projects are laying the groundwork for scaling their approaches to other regions, while actively collaborating with international partners to explore funding opportunities that could enhance their impact. The final results are expected to be shared in 2025. 👉 Read the full update: https://lnkd.in/ePxUG-gn Katarzyna (Kate) Negacz | Janina Smaoui | Babette Bodlaender | Martijn van Staveren PhD | Bas Bruning | Jakob Herrmann | Clara Nieuwenhuyse | David Mornout | Abdur Rahman | Zakir Md. Hossain | Centre of People and Environment | Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam)) | Farmers Voice | Saline Agriculture Network | Weltweit-Cooperative for the Promotion of Local Initiatives e.V. | Action Network Worldwide Platform | Associação dos Amigos do Bambu - ASSAMBA | @ABIODES | Eduardo Mondlane University | Mozambique Institute of Agricultural Research | Africa Rice Center | MetaMeta

🆕🌍 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐂𝐨𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 Tackling global challenges in the areas of food security, water, and climate, requires a coherent international approach, where policies systematically reinforce—rather than counteract—each other thematically, spatially, and over time. 🔍 The IOB evaluated the effects and efficiency of Dutch development policy during this period. Key recommendations from this comprehensive study include: 1️⃣ Support national long-term strategies of partner countries. 2️⃣ Continue policy dialogue and support the institutional capacity of partner countries. 3️⃣ Make long-term agreements for programmes. 4️⃣ Work with an integrated, systems-based vision on a differentiated approach. 5️⃣ Strengthen the role of embassies. 6️⃣ Shift the focus of monitoring and evaluation from project to programme level. 📌 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞: 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡  MetaMeta and Socioconsult conducted a deep dive in (partly) Dutch-funded programmes in the coastal zone of Bangladesh, including the Blue Gold programme, the Southwest Area Integrated Water Resources Planning and Management project, and the Char Development and Settlement project. This study, as a building block for the overarching evaluation, is an evaluation of the functioning and sustainability of farmers’ led water management organisations in the polders of Bangladesh. 🔑 One of the key highlights: The synergy between water management organisations (WMOs), polder rehabilitation, and agricultural support programmes led to substantial increases in food security. 📖 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/edyRBi8K 📖 Read the Bangladesh sub-study here: https://lnkd.in/emtg6X_c #PolicyCoherence #Sustainability #FoodSecurity #WaterManagement #Climate #InternationalDevelopment #Netherlands GOPA AFC | GOPA Consulting Group frank van steenbergen | David Mornout | Alamgir Chowdury | John Marandy

🌿 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗛𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 🌿 In rural India, hedges are emerging as vital tools for regenerative farming. Traditionally marking field boundaries, these living fences offer many benefits: 💚 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆: Hedges provide habitats for various species, boosting local ecosystems. 💚 𝗦𝗼𝗶𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: They contribute to soil fertility and structure, promoting sustainable agriculture. 💚 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Hedges aid in water retention and recharge, crucial for crop resilience. 💚 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Acting as natural barriers, they safeguard crops from free-roaming cattle and reduce the need for artificial fencing. Farmers in Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh are integrating species like Pigeon Pea, Acacia, and Jatropha along field bunds, reaping both economic and environmental rewards. Implementing hedges is a 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 that enhances 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 while improving ecological balance. 📑 For more insights, read the full blog through the link in the comments. 🤝 Supported by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency project: Agricultural Transition through Productive Biodiversity and Nature Based Solutions Pratik Ranjan Arpan Mondal Shubham Jain Meghna Mukherjee frank van steenbergen #RegenerativeAgriculture #NatureBasedSolutions #Agroecology | GOPA AFC GOPA Consulting Group

𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗥𝗼𝗦𝗣𝗿𝗼) – 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 🏔️ 💧 In Nepal’s Himalayan region, springs are essential for drinking water, agriculture, and livelihoods, but they face increasing threats from various factors, including poorly planned road development. The 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗥𝗼𝗦𝗣𝗿𝗼) project, funded by Partners for Water and led by MetaMeta in partnership with ICIMOD and FutureWater, is tackling this challenge by aligning road infrastructure with hydrogeological and community needs in Dhankuta district in Nepal. RoSPro follows a 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵, working closely with local stakeholders to identify vulnerable springs, co-design interventions, and implement them at two levels—spring outlets along roads and spring recharge areas. This holistic approach not only secures vital water resources but also ensures sustainable road infrastructure. The project has already delivered some clear benefits: ✅ 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀 with reduced water-related damage, making them safer and more durable. ✅ 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 for drinking, domestic, and agricultural use, with a new distribution system that brings water directly to homes, saving time and effort for local communities. ✅ 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, gaining valuable skills, with some committing to replicate and maintain the interventions. Additionally, a cost-benefit analysis and digital twin are being developed to evaluate the broader impact and guide future scaling efforts across the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. Check out the before-and-after photos below to see the transformation—how water-smart roads are improving lives, protecting ecosystems, and creating lasting change: Before the road was damaged by sedimentation, runoff, and seepage from upstream, causing inaccessibility and spring drying. After the road is repaired and made accessible with less water related damages due to check dams, a gabion wall, and a side drain connected to a culvert. Water is now available to downstream communities through a tap. GOPA AFC GOPA Consulting Group | Anastasia Deligianni Luwieke Bosma Saroj Yakami frank van steenbergen

🚧 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀 🚧 Roads are more than mere pathways—they mirror the mindsets of the communities that build them. 🛣️ Crumbling shoulders, dust-filled lanes, and cluttered pathways? They signal neglect, breeding indiscipline and frustration. But imagine roads lined with greenery, shoulders cleared of debris, and working streetlights. 🌳 Thoughtful, clean, and well-designed roads can transform public spaces, increase safety, dignity, and shared responsibility. 📄 Read more in this blog by frank van steenbergen and Jigesh Bhavsar https://lnkd.in/esRBTW8X GOPA AFC GOPA Consulting Group | #greenroadsforwater #roaddevelopment

🌍 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚: 𝐀 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬🌊🚧 The Drina River, a jewel of the Western Balkans, is a stunning waterway, celebrated for its role in tourism and recreation. Moreover, it is a vital habitat for endangered fish and holds significant potential hydropower generation. But did you know that the 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬, 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞? Investment in these roads have the potential to: 🛣️ Connect communities 📦 Facilitate trade and mobility 🏞️ Boost tourism and recreation 🌍 Strengthen resilience to climate-induced disasters 🌱 Support ecological preservation Integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) along roads like these not only strengthens their resilience against climate-induced risks but also boosts tourism and biodiversity conservation. 🌳 Curious for more? Continue reading here: https://lnkd.in/eWtXUHeh David Mornout | Dr Marijana Kapovic Solomun, PhD, Associate Professor | frank van steenbergen GOPA AFC | GOPA Infra | GOPA Consulting Group #NatureBasedSolutions #DisasterRiskManagement #DrinaRiver

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀: 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗹 💧⛰️ In Nepal's Dhankuta district, the 𝗥𝗼𝗦𝗣𝗿𝗼 (𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆) project is revolutionizing road construction by aligning designs with local hydrogeology. This approach protects 𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 and improves 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. By preventing springs from drying up or causing road damage, RoSPro ensures 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 for communities and infrastructure longevity. 📹 This video captures community members' reflections: https://lnkd.in/eY6YrF_a #WaterSecurity #SustainableInfrastructure #CommunityDevelopment #RoadsforWater | FutureWater ICIMOD Partners for Water Netherlands Enterprise Agency Anastasia Deligianni Saroj Yakami Luwieke Bosma GOPA AFC GOPA Consulting Group

𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 💧 The Global Center on Adaptation's 2024 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 report emphasizes the critical role of Locally Led Adaptation (LLA). By shifting decision-making to local levels and addressing structural inequalities, LLA enables sustainable, community-driven solutions. The report also highlights the 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄 program, implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) with MetaMeta as the Knowledge Partner. This initiative directly channels small grants to grassroots organizations via 𝟭𝟬 𝗵𝘂𝗯𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝟱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, empowering communities to lead interventions in 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🌍 While impactful, locally led adaptation efforts face challenges like limited resources, bureaucracy, and technical gaps. Despite these hurdles, Kenyan communities have demonstrated resilience and shared key lessons: 💧 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 strenghtens ownership and innovation, as seen with the Naatum Women’s Group, which established a community savings and credit fund. 💧 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆-𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 enables adaptive learning, with initiatives like the Musul Land Committee’s improved water management through trial and error. 💧 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 build trust, with organizations like IMPACT Kenya supporting long-term partnerships through open dialogue and cooperation. This year’s report focus on global and national systems explores how development partners, multilateral institutions, and governments support LLA. The report delivers a powerful message: 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱, 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 🌱 📑 For more insights, find a link to the report in the comments. #locallyledadaptation #reversingtheflow | Karen Stehouwer Sandra Cats Veerle Lambert Femke van Woesik Nancy Kadenyi Nardos Tadesse Rwnag Mohammed frank van steenbergen GOPA AFC GOPA Consulting Group

🌧️  𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲🌱 In Kenya’s semi-arid Makueni County, the Drain to Gain (D2G) project is transforming road runoff into a resource that boosts farming, prevents erosion, and cuts road maintenance costs! 🚜🌳 By capturing runoff along a 3 km road stretch, the project supplies small-scale farmers with water for irrigation, stabilizes soil, and recharges groundwater. With over 4,500 meters of new drainage and 2000 tree planting holes prepared, this initiative is paving the way for a more sustainable, food-secure future for Makueni and beyond. 📑For more insights, read the full blog through the link in the comments. #WaterHarvesting #SustainableFarming #ClimateResilience Nancy Kadenyi Theophilus Kioko Anastasia Deligianni Shockwave Foundation Global Resilience Partnership Government Of Makueni County Michael Maluki GOPA AFC GOPA Consulting Group

🌡️ 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮: 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 🌳 Last month, we successfully completed the first round of data collection on how tree cover affects microclimates in Dodoma's farmlands. By gathering detailed temperature and climate data in areas practicing Kisiki Hai agroforestry, we’re now preparing to dive into the analysis phase. This research projects aims to uncover how these agroforestry techniques can help buffer extreme temperatures, potentially reducing heat risks for agricultural workers facing hotter conditions due to climate change. A special thanks to the team: Faraja Chiwanga, Richard Sambaiga, Njamasi Chiwanga, Peninah Murage, Francesco Sambalino, Augustino Temba, Enock Makupa, @Gumi Abdallah, Leonard Kadege, and our partners LEAD Foundation Tanzania, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London, University of Dodoma, and University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) 🙏. Funded by the Wellcome Trust GOPA Consulting Group GOPA AFC