The first Salinity Magazine: a milestone in the global discourse on saline agriculture
The Salinity Magazine is an informative magazine containing a mix of background articles, interviews, and information on the international network working on salinity issues. It addresses the pressing global issue of salinity, which is increasingly affecting freshwater resources and posing a threat to food security. The first issue of Salinity Magazine made its debut at a well-attended side event organised by the Netherlands on the topic of salinity and saline agriculture during the two-day high-level hybrid event entitled Towards a High-Level Dialogue on the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG), which was hosted at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome. The first Magazine was presented to Dr Lifeng Li, Director of the FAO Land and Water Division, by Ambassador Marcel Beukeboom, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the Rome Agencies.
About the magazine
The Salinity Magazine highlights the complex relationship between salinity, water security, and food production, which is exacerbated by climate change, and emphasises that while technology plays a critical role, a holistic approach incorporating natural water buffers, spatial planning, and cross-sectoral collaboration is essential. The magazine features several international partners and projects, including initiatives in Senegal and Bangladesh, that show successful strategies and innovations in combating salinity and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. One highlighted project is the COASTS project in Bangladesh, which addresses salinity by restoring 5,000 hectares of land using salt-tolerant seeds and innovative technologies. The project also empowers female farmers and uses nature-based solutions for water management. Salinity Magazine highlights the work being done by various organisations, including Wageningen University and Research (WUR), in addressing the challenges posed by salinity. It is published by the Netherlands Food Partnership and the Netherlands Water Partnership, As the topic of salinity is quite broad, a second edition of the magazine will be released later and will highlight specific angles, such as salt and groundwater challenges.
Salinity challenges
Salinity issues are widespread and affect 400 million hectares of topsoil and 800 million hectares of subsoil globally. Salinity severely affects crop development and growth, threatening food security, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of millions of people in various parts of the world. It leads to significant economic losses, particularly affecting smallholder farmers and water-dependent industries. Long-term collaboration with local and international stakeholders to tackle salinity is therefore essential for developing effective salinity management strategies.
The Netherlands fosters integrated action and knowledge-sharing
The Netherlands plays a significant role in addressing the issue of salinity and saline agriculture internationally through sharing their expertise in water management and innovative agricultural practices. Dutch researchers and institutions collaborate with international organisations and local communities to develop sustainable solutions for managing saline soils and water. A key initiative is the Saline Water & Food Systems partnership (SW&FS) partnership, where Dutch organisations work alongside international organisations to promote the cultivation of salt-tolerant crops and improve food security in regions affected by salinity. The SW&FS partnership is a multi-stakeholder partnership that stimulates collaboration between the Dutch water and agrifood sectors to address the challenge of salinity in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). It fosters integrated action and promotes knowledge-sharing seed money projects in various LMICs, and the development of tools like the Saline Agri Map (SAM). This online platform, created by the Vrije University of Amsterdam (VU), presents an overview of saline agriculture projects worldwide.
Video promoting the declaration of 2028 as the Year of Saline Agriculture
Collective efforts, involving esteemed organisations such as the FAO, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) aim to raise the profile of salinity on the global political stage and spearhead the development of a global campaign on salinisation. In this context, several international organisations have joined forces and are making a joint appeal to declare 2028 as the Year of Saline Agriculture. The video below promotes the declaration of 2028 as the Year of Saline Agriculture. The call comes from several sources including the Minister of Water Resources of Uzbekistan, The Water Envoy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, The Minister of Agriculture and Environment of Cabo Verde, and the Director of FAO's Land and Water Division. The Global Soil Partnership, the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands, the Netherlands Food Partnership, the Netherlands Water Partnership, the Vrije University of Amsterdam, and Wageningen University and Research, support the promotion of the declaration of 2028 as the Year of Saline Agriculture. You can watch the full video here.
Request a copy of the Salinity Magazine
You can request a free copy of the Salinity Magazine; an informative magazine containing a mix of background articles, interviews, and information on the international network working on salinity issues.
Would you like to receive a hard copy of Salinity Magazine? Please send an email to Martijn van Staveren: m.vanstaveren@nwp.nl
