From Concept to Practice: Exploring barriers and opportunities adopting and scaling clay-in-sand in the Achterhoek
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2025-12-18
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en
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This thesis investigates the barriers and opportunities for implementing and scaling clay-in-sand as a drought mitigation and adaptation measure, using a practice-based framework that focuses on materials, meanings, and competences. Based on case studies in Haarlo-Olden-Eibergen and ’t Klooster and interviews with farmers, contractors, and governmental actors, the research shows that these elements interact in complex ways and jointly determine the scaling potential of the measure.
Material conditions are particularly influential. The study shows that the main issue lies in the organisation and matching of clay supply and demand rather than in actual availability. Other material barriers include the absence of machinery designed for clay spreading, and high implementation costs. Despite these constraints, farmers generally regard clay-in-sand as a worthwhile long-term investment.
Meanings attached to clay-in-sand differ but reinforce one another. Farmers emphasise yield improvement and drought resilience, while water boards and provincial actors frame the measure as a hydrological intervention and a climate adaptation and mitigation strategy. However, historically dominant Dutch water-management discourses focused on rapid water discharge still limit wider acceptance.
Competence development mainly occurs through learning-by-doing and pilot projects. Scaling up requires improved supply coordination, investment in suitable machinery, regulatory alignment, and more structured, cross-regional knowledge exchange.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen