Dutch expertise can help Oman tackle water-stress challenges

MUSCAT, DEC 7 - Proven Dutch expertise can help water-stressed Oman optimise the use of limited resources to support agricultural farming in the Sultanate, according to the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Oman. Laetitia van Asch said Dutch government agencies, companies, academic and R&D institutions are ready to partner with organisations in the Sultanate to address the challenges of achieving the sustainability of the ‘water-energy-food’ nexus. Speaking at the opening of the ‘Cutting-Edge Water Technology Showcase’ — a forum organised by MEDRC Water Research last week — she urged the Sultanate to leverage the formidable capabilities of the Netherlands in water management and renewable energy to support agri-farming in Oman with limited water resources. In this regard, she commended MEDRC’s role in driving the quest for solutions that seek to tackle water-stress related challenges in Oman. In her address, Laetitia van Asch listed a number of high-tech Dutch firms that can be of assistance to the Sultanate in achieving its water sustainability goals. One such firm is Eleaf, a Dutch firm that provides Earth Observation based applications and data to optimise agricultural production and water management. “With satellite images, food production and water use are optimised, leading up to 30 per cent reduction of water use and higher crop yield,” she said. Another firm that holds much promise for Oman is The Salt Doctors — a social enterprise that specialises in promoting saline farming and researching crops that can be cultivated in brackish water. “In the Netherlands, vegetables like ‘lamsoor’ and zeekraal are harvested in saline waters and are considered even a delicacy,” she said. Dutch expertise in circular desalination technology is already on display at a facility installed by Kascade at the premises of MEDRC Water Research in Al Hail in Muscat, Ambassador Laetitia van Asch said. “In this installation — the size of a container — solar energy is used to desalinate seawater up to the level of clean and safe drinking water,” she noted. Kascade has developed a patented ‘Solar Still’, which makes it possible to produce drinking water from any water source using only solar energy. Other Dutch based institutions representative at the technology showcase were the Organisation for Quality and Innovation Strategies (Qualies), and the Delft Institute for Water Education (IHE). The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands was the main sponsor of the three-day forum.