ABSTRACT
The Dutch Wadden Sea region is facing transitions caused by salinization, climate change, and land subsidence. The regional economy is dominated by arable farming and threatened by these external factors. In this study, adaptation options are analyzed. The study led to a feasibility assessment per variety, which is either a crop or a species. A variety is classified as feasible when it scores high on practical application, financial feasibility, and opportunities for large-scale production. The varieties are divided into three main types: (1) salt-tolerant regular crops, (2) saline crops, and (3) saline aquaculture. The analysis suggests that promising opportunities arise among salt-tolerant crops and saline aquaculture, which can be started in the short term. Based on the analysis, we recommend three routes forward on the short term: (I) development of a salt-tolerant crop rotation plan for potatoes, (II) development of on-land cockle cultivation and seaweed, and (III) development of the saline crops such as samphire and sea lavender.
