About SALTA
Dutch research institutions, government, education and companies, are have joined forces to tackle issues around salinisation and freshwater supply in the coastal region of the Netherlands. SALTA (Knowledge Cluster around Salinisation) brings these parties together to provide professionals (agriculture, water managers, land managers) with a research-based approach to these issues.
The Dutch coast will experience more drought and salinisation in the coming years. Although some good steps have already been taken, there is still a lot of work to be done before farmers get the tools they need to adapt to these changes. This requires, among other things, research, demonstrations and training. SALTA can play a central role in providing this. The solutions require require timely and coordinated action, which SALTA and its partners can offer. Our guiding principle is: ‘mitigation where you can, adaptation where you must’..
How the salinisation problem started
Salinisation is increasingly impacting agriculture and horticulture. Currently, 14% of the land in the Netherlands is affected by, or at risk of, salinisation. The rise of the sea level, drought, subsidence and climate change (longer periods of drought and reductions in riverflow) are all factors that affect saline seepage: salty groundwater that rises to the surface inside the dikes and affects streams and soil. This causes the following symptoms:
- In a large area of the lower Netherlands, the demand for fresh water is rising while availability is decreasing and effects from salt water are increasing.
- Experts feel increasing pressure to do something, but the general public is still barely aware of the problem.
- Insight into the problem is scattered among different organisations and therefore difficult to access.
To counter this, a coherent research agenda is needed to address the challenges of today and tomorrow. The first steps to set something up for this were taken in 2015. In early 2019, participating organisations from the three regions Holland, Zeeland and North Netherlands signed the Collaboration Agreement Zoet Zout Knooppunt. This collaboration was renamed Knowledge Cluster SALTA in 2023.
SALTA will evaluate the completed projects within the Zoet Zout Knooppunt and formulate next steps. The drafting and development of an action plan for farmers and water managers is central to this. This will provide the basis for a more robust agriculture in the coastal region and, where necessary, ensure the agricultural transition necessary to adapt to the changing situation
Mission
SALTA aims to:
- Provide an action plan for professionals such as farmers and horticulturists and water managers
- Develop a coherent (national) Knowledge Agenda, based on questions from the field
- Developing training modules and curricula for educational institutions (at different levels)
- Developing assessment criteria for research and projects
- Promoting multidisciplinary partnerships, leading to an active and strong Dutch cluster that is also a world leader in the field of delta salinisation.
- Promoting scientific and practice-based research
