Some 30 international organizations and embassies gathered in The Hague, the Netherlands, on 5 July to brainstorm on how water resource management, agriculture and financial systems in developing countries can better respond to a changing climate. This 9th meeting of The Hague Roundtable on Climate & Security was co-hosted by PHB Development. PHB – which is expanding beyond Digital Financial Services to a range of Mobile Information Services – was met by an enthusiastic group of participants from organizations working to improve the lives of people in climate-affected regions.

“Innovative Adaptation in Africa and Asia: Water, Agriculture and SDGs” was the theme of the meeting, which was held at the Humanity Hub, a rally point and working/meeting place of “doer” organizations which are “innovators in peace, justice, and humanitarian action.”

In presentations, Vice-Rector Prof. Charlotte de Fraiture of IHE Delft Institute for Water Education highlighted initiatives on water resource management and capacity building in developing countries. Practical action based on such initiatives can help mitigate prospects of climate apartheid, in which the wealthy can isolate themselves from the impacts of climate change, while the majority are negatively affected.

PHB partner Ronald Everts (standing in photo) presented projects in Mali and in Indonesia, where unexpected partnerships process satellite- and drone-gathered data, so it becomes accessible to smallholder herders and farmers via mobile phones. They can then locate and manage natural resources that are essential to their productivity and livelihoods.

In a highly interactive session, participants examined the presented initiatives and used their own expertise to develop recommendations. “Who owns and processes the data?” was a recurring consideration, with implications for empowerment, privacy and even land rights of low-income people. Links to the UN SDG’s was established throughout the brainstorming.

Ronald Everts: “I was impressed by the dynamic interaction with the “doers” in the room. The objective to link parties in this field was clearly a success. I was equally pleased that PHB’s chosen approach in the projects I presented struck a chord, and a good number of participants reached out for further information. I am looking forward to the follow-up.”

Contact Ronald Everts for more information and follow-up possibilities.

The Hague Roundtable on Climate & Security is an independent forum to promote international cooperation in adapting to climate risks to human well-being, sustainable development, and peace. The next Roundtable  will be held on 12 September, hosted by the Embassy of Germany in The Hague: “Extreme Weather Disasters – Resilience, Forecasting and Cooperation.” Visit the Roundtable contact page to get in touch for more information.