Sustainable water and land use explained

In an era of population growth, intensive agriculture, the energy transition and climate change, pressure on these resources is mounting. Sustainable water and land use ensures that soil, water and space remain healthy and available in the future.

Wageningen University & Research explores ways to use land and water more efficiently and less intensively. This may involve combining multiple forms of use – for example, agriculture alongside recreation. Sustainable farming systems that treat the soil with care are essential, and we must also learn to work more closely with nature. For instance, by giving stream valleys more space to become marshy again, allowing the landscape to store more water.

We can no longer simply shape the land to suit our needs. Form must follow function. Management should take its cues from nature and bring out the intrinsic qualities of the landscape. Natural systems adapt to change, and nature-based solutions share that same resilience – often proving more efficient, too. In this way, we are working smartly towards sustainable water and land use.

Water and soil underpin our living environment, our food systems and our economy. Our food depends on healthy soils, and the quality and availability of water directly affect our crops, livestock and wellbeing.

Our planet has limits – and the Netherlands even more so. Without sustainable management of land and water, conflicts soon arise between the competing goals we set for them. Agriculture, nature, housing and energy production all demand their share of space in the landscape. We need innovative approaches to balance these interests and enable them to thrive side by side.

Otherwise, the planet risks losing its soils to drought, erosion, compaction, acidification or nutrient overload. Where soils deteriorate, the quality and availability of water also decline. Through pollution and falling groundwater levels, water itself is coming under increasing pressure.

At WUR, we do not address these issues in isolation. We recognise how water and soil are deeply intertwined with wider societal challenges such as food security, climate adaptation, biodiversity recovery and spatial planning.

Soil and water are under pressure from multiple, mutually reinforcing factors:

• Lack of space due to population growth, agriculture and energy production
• Climate stress from droughts, floods and rising sea levels
• Loss of water quality through pollution, desiccation and soil degradation
• Competing interests between economy, ecology and society

We can restore the balance through a combination of technological innovation, progressive socio-economic policies and nature-based solutions. Examples include circular water technologies for purification and reuse, and sustainable soil and water management within agricultural systems such as the Farms of the Future and the Better Soil Management programme.

Wet cultivation on peat soils – such as rice or reed production – also offers potential for agriculture that adapts to the needs of soil and water.

Regional visions such as The Green-Blue Future of Vallei and Veluwe show what landscapes can look like when soil and water are in harmony with people and planet. European initiatives, such as those discussed in the Mansholt Lecture, emphasise the importance of fair access to land and water and the sustainable use of natural resources.