Main research questionThe aim of the project is to limit the risks of drought, salinization and flooding in the Oudland Polder by means of a coordinated and adapted water and land management, which at the same time takes into account the diverse land uses within the polder.
Specifically, the necessary expertise is also being built up around 3 knowledge gaps: the potential of sub-irrigation (bringing water underground via the drainage system), the influence of CD on salinization in the polder context, and the possibilities for collective water management on a landscape scale.OP-PEIL will specifically address:(i) Providing
Through interaction with farmers, agricultural organizations and policy makers from various sectors, ILVO examines the salinization problem and explores the desirability and feasibility of saline agriculture in the coastal region of Belgium.Relevance/ValorizationWe expect innovative insights and knowledge about the path to 'saline agriculture' for Flanders
According to the FAO’s reports, progressing salinization is one of the major drivers of soil degradation in Europe as well as Near East and North Africa, exerting increasing pressure on conventional farming which is based on freshwater resources.SALAD (Saline AgricuLture for ADaptation) is a transcontinental, innovative research project in the field
Quinoa is also a stress-resistant crop that rarely suffers from drought and salinization, and is therefore resistant to the effects of climate change. Lastly, quinoa fits into a wider cultivation rotation because the cultivation does not exhaust the soil and requires little or no crop protection.