Mirjam Hack-ten Broeke is a hydrologist and soil expert and leads the Soil, Water and Land Use team of Wageningen Environmental Research. After graduating in the field of Culture Technology in Wageningen with her major in agro-hydrology, she obtained her PhD on the subject or nitrate leaching in dairy farming. She has worked at Wageningen University & Research since 1987 in a variety of roles as a team leader and researcher. ‘Without a properly functioning soil and water system, the Earth’s living crust, there would be no life, no plants, no animals and no people. It is literally the foundation of our existence. This is why I commit to improving its management. It pleases me when we are able to present solutions that people can put in practice through our research.’
The Netherlands is designed for the rapid draining of superfluous rainwater. The dryer summers that result from climate change, however, also call for the storage of water. Wageningen researchers collaborate with water managers to discover what steps may be taken to increase water availability for agriculture and nature. For example:…