In September, Leeuwarden will host more than 200 experts from all over the world during an international conference focused on the issue of salinization in agriculture.
Translation by Hans de Preter
It is the first time that experts have come together to discuss solutions for the increasing salinization of the countries around the Wadden Sea and North Sea. The Saline Futures Conference will mark the first time that so many experts will gather to discuss the issue and how it impacts nations bordering the Wadden Sea and North Sea, and will take place from Tuesday 10 September through Friday 13 September.
Sea level rise, land subsidence and more frequent periods of drought are causing (agricultural) land salinization in a growing number of countries. The conference will focus on saline agriculture, such as freshwater management in potentially saline soils, revitalization of saline-affected areas, economics and financing of crops and products as a way to adapt to climate change,
Programme
Groningen representative Henk Staghouwer will open the conference on Tuesday 10 September in his capacity as a representative of Salfar, a project from the European Regional Development Fund focused on degradation of farmland due to salinization.
The primary focus conference will be what countries around the North Sea and the Wadden Sea can learn from other countries that have been suffering from salinization for some time. Experts from Australia, Bangladesh, Senegal and the United States, among others, will share their knowledge and experience on topics such as promising crops, salt/fresh water management, policy and innovation with practical experience.
Lectures, seminars and practical examples will be on display during an information market on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, there will be excursions to Texel, Terschelling and Emden (Germany).
Organisation
The saline conference is an initiative of the Wadden Academy. It is part of the Interreg project; SalFar (Saline Farming). In this project, the province of Groningen, together with project partners from seven countries around the North Sea, wants to find solutions for salinization of agricultural land.
