Dutch and Peruvian partners learn from each other

In Lima: water safety in a megacity 

During a field visit to the Rimac catchment we saw how illegal construction along riverbanks and extreme rainfall pose major risks. We discussed sustainable solutions such as "Room for the River" and "Water and Soil Management" – principles that are also relevant in the Netherlands. 

What we did in Lima (1-4 October)

• Blue Deal Regional Event: Partners from Peru, Argentina, and Colombia shared knowledge about governance, climate adaptation, and stakeholder engagement.
• Technical sessions: Innovationssuch as the WFlow model and Climate Café methodology.
• Presentation by youth panel: Exampleof participation and support.
• Field visit to the Rimac River: Risk analysisand solutions for water safety. 

Tumbes: cooperation for a sustainable future  

In Tumbes, the focus was on cooperation with water councils, water safety, and climate adaptation.  

 What we did in Tumbes (6-7 October) 

• Climate Café: Opening and workshops on climate adaptation and mitigation, with the theme "caring for the river."  
• Reforestation & awareness campaign: With students and local stakeholders.
• Field visits: theunique mangrove ecosystem in Puerto Pizarro and water infrastructure at La Peña, crucial to water distribution and agriculture.
• Discussions with the Tumbes Water Council: On water management, governance, and progress of Blue Deal projects. 

Logical continuation of the programme 

The working visit was followed by in-depth workshops: 

• WFlow workshops (Piura & Tumbes): Training in hydrological models for local teams (6-10 October).
• Climate Café workshops (Piura): Actionsrelated to climate adaptation and river management (13-16 October). 

Our lessons

“InPeru, we saw how water management is not only a technical challenge, but also a social one. We shared knowledge, and learned a lot – about dealing with scarcity, working with natural systems, and the importance of support. International cooperation makes us stronger, precisely because we can learn from each other.” 

says Roeland van der Schaaf, dyke reeve Noorderzijlvest dyke reeve . 

We have learned that 

• Water management is a technical matter, but it also involves cooperation with people and nature. 
• Support and participation are crucial to water distribution in times of scarcity. 
• Making space for the river and water-and-soil driven work help to prevent flooding and ensure proper landscape design. As in the Netherlands, it also takes effort in Peru to put this approach into practice.
• Challenges such as sedimentation and irrigation management call for innovative solutions—insights that may also be valuable to the Netherlands in the future.  

 We'll include these insights in our 2027 annual plan and in joint projects concerning irrigation, climate adaptation, and organisational strengthening.