Noorderzijlvest Water Authority travels to Peru for knowledge exchange and sustainable cooperation

From September 27 to October 9, 2025, a delegation from various organizations, including the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority, will travel to Peru for a working visit as part of the international Blue Deal program. The trip will focus on knowledge exchange, cooperation, and celebrating 200 years of diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Peru.

Working together on water solutions

In Peru, Noorderzijlvest is working with local water partners to find solutions to extreme drought, water shortages, and flooding. The collaboration is part of Blue Deal, a global program run by Dutch water authorities that aims to provide access to clean, safe, and sufficient water for 20 million people by 2030.

“We are not only going to share our knowledge, but also gather new insights,” says Roeland van der Schaaf, dike reeve of the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority. “In Peru, we will learn how water management works under extreme conditions, how water is seen as a shared responsibility, and how cooperation with natural systems plays a central role.”

A story of reciprocity

Climate change knows no boundaries. The mudslides in Peru and rising sea levels in the Netherlands are two sides of the same crisis. But the solutions also know no boundaries. By listening, sharing, and working together, something new emerges: a bridge between knowledge and culture, between technology and tradition. 

In Peru, water is a living being, a source of life. In the Netherlands, it is a force that we must tame. By sharing stories, mutual understanding and new insights are created that help both countries adapt to climate change.

 

River in Peru


What's on the agenda?

  • Participation in the regional Blue Deal meeting in Lima with partners from Argentina and Colombia
  • Interviews with Peruvian stakeholders and water users
  • Workshops on youth participation, flood prevention, and organizational strengthening
  • Celebration of 200 years of cooperation with the Dutch embassy
  • Vlog and report on the working visit

Who's coming?

The delegation consists of representatives from various organizations committed to sustainable water management: 

  • Roeland van der Schaaf, Kees de Jong, Milagros Sosa, and Nadia Oukake (Noorderzijlvest Water Authority)
  • Francine Engelsman (Hunze en Aa’s Water Board)
  • Roel van der Veen (Rivierenland Water Authority)
  • Nienke Swagemakers (Union of Water Boards – Blue Deal Program)
  • Sterre Koops (Hanze University of Applied Sciences – Climate Café)
  • Lotte de Jong and Maya Daumal (Climate café external team)

Why this working visit matters

International cooperation not only strengthens the position of Dutch water authorities worldwide, but also their own organization. Noorderzijlvest employees develop professionally and personally, and bring valuable lessons back to the Netherlands.

“Water connects us all,” says Roeland van der Schaaf. “By working together and learning from each other, we are building a future in which water management becomes stronger and more resilient worldwide.”