This second episode of Waterproof is all about ‘The Salty Intruder’. All over the world, arable land is becoming more and more saline, threatening farmers’ livelihoods and our food security. But there are smart, innovative people looking for solutions – and the Dutch are helping, for example with a new Virtual Reality game to teach farmers to plant salt tolerant crops. I played it – but I wasn’t very good at it, I have to admit. Listen here:

In Egypt, where the Nile delta is getting saltier, farmers like Tariq el Arini are switching from water-intensive rice to salt-loving potatoes. And Vietnam’s ‘Sokfarm’ has moved from coconut milk, ruined by salt, to coconut sugar, made from the sap of the flower. Even Dutch farmers are struggling to come to terms with the intruder. But then we meet Hans Elenbaas, who has harvested salty sea vegetables in Zeeland his whole life. And he loves it!

The next episode of Waterproof will be ‘Locals in the Lead’, airing on Jan. 9th.

Waterproof is a 6-part production for Partners for Water, a program of the Dutch government that focuses on internationale water security through long-term collaborations with local partners in countries all over the world.