their own particular views about the system, and less value to assigning responsibility
to a stakeholder for having a complete overview. The positions regarding the
responsibility of water authorities in providing water to farmers differs between the
water authorities that have sloping areas (WRD—farmers do not expect that WRD
provides surface water for their fields) and those have mostly flat areas (WGS and
Veld en Vecht—farmers do expect that water is provided). This situation makes the
farmers in flat areas more advantaged than those in sloping areas, who have to incur
extra costs to pump surface water to their fields in case they are not allowed to use the
groundwater. These differences are not dealt among different water authorities.
8.5.3 Flexibility
A highly flexible governance setting is observed regarding the possibilities for
upscaling and downscaling the policy issues between different levels. This results
from the collaborative and participatory environment in the sector, which involves
actors from different levels to elaborate on problems and solutions at multiple levels
without imposing a hierarchy, unless there is a law that regulates otherwise. The
development process of the irrigation policy constitutes a typical example of
upscaling where the WRD scaled up the irrigation issue from the local level to the
regional level, although it was not a major issue in WGS. Another example is the
ZON, which downscales the national freshwater supply problem of the Netherlands
to address the regional context, i.e. high sandy soil conditions.
The flexibility regarding actors and networks is assessed as neutral. Through
designing an irrigation policy, the five water authorities were successful in developing a common regulation at the regional level. This process was completed
without following a formal procedure and therefore it can be seen as an indication
of a high degree of flexibility. However, the LTO and NMO were not able to
effectively participate. There is little evidence that alternative participatory mechanisms (for instance surveys, polls, public hearings, focus groups, etc.) were applied
for enabling the participation of individual or local actors in developing the policy.
This aspect indicates a low degree of flexibility. Respondents from several stakeholders addressed the increasing emphasis on integrating multiple sectors, and
thereby involving multiple stakeholders in projects such as Landbouw op Peil.
Problem perceptions and goal ambitions are also assessed as neutral. The way
that the irrigation policy was formulated raises several concerns, in particular for the
NMO, who sees the policy as incomplete and requiring changes according to the
updated data on the existing permits and water withdrawals. Nevertheless, the water
authorities have a strong trust in the policy-making process and are prepared to
incorporate the influence of existing wells and groundwater withdrawal levels into
the parameters of the policy. The same degree of flexibility applies for the concerns
of the province on the incorporation of requirements by the national and EU
environmental policy. In case the nature conservation policy changes and influences
the irrigation policy, the water authorities are ready to amend the irrigation policy
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171
to a stakeholder for having a complete overview. The positions regarding the
responsibility of water authorities in providing water to farmers differs between the
water authorities that have sloping areas (WRD—farmers do not expect that WRD
provides surface water for their fields) and those have mostly flat areas (WGS and
Veld en Vecht—farmers do expect that water is provided). This situation makes the
farmers in flat areas more advantaged than those in sloping areas, who have to incur
extra costs to pump surface water to their fields in case they are not allowed to use the
groundwater. These differences are not dealt among different water authorities.
8.5.3 Flexibility
A highly flexible governance setting is observed regarding the possibilities for
upscaling and downscaling the policy issues between different levels. This results
from the collaborative and participatory environment in the sector, which involves
actors from different levels to elaborate on problems and solutions at multiple levels
without imposing a hierarchy, unless there is a law that regulates otherwise. The
development process of the irrigation policy constitutes a typical example of
upscaling where the WRD scaled up the irrigation issue from the local level to the
regional level, although it was not a major issue in WGS. Another example is the
ZON, which downscales the national freshwater supply problem of the Netherlands
to address the regional context, i.e. high sandy soil conditions.
The flexibility regarding actors and networks is assessed as neutral. Through
designing an irrigation policy, the five water authorities were successful in developing a common regulation at the regional level. This process was completed
without following a formal procedure and therefore it can be seen as an indication
of a high degree of flexibility. However, the LTO and NMO were not able to
effectively participate. There is little evidence that alternative participatory mechanisms (for instance surveys, polls, public hearings, focus groups, etc.) were applied
for enabling the participation of individual or local actors in developing the policy.
This aspect indicates a low degree of flexibility. Respondents from several stakeholders addressed the increasing emphasis on integrating multiple sectors, and
thereby involving multiple stakeholders in projects such as Landbouw op Peil.
Problem perceptions and goal ambitions are also assessed as neutral. The way
that the irrigation policy was formulated raises several concerns, in particular for the
NMO, who sees the policy as incomplete and requiring changes according to the
updated data on the existing permits and water withdrawals. Nevertheless, the water
authorities have a strong trust in the policy-making process and are prepared to
incorporate the influence of existing wells and groundwater withdrawal levels into
the parameters of the policy. The same degree of flexibility applies for the concerns
of the province on the incorporation of requirements by the national and EU
environmental policy. In case the nature conservation policy changes and influences
the irrigation policy, the water authorities are ready to amend the irrigation policy
8 Drought Awareness Through Agricultural Policy: Multi-level …
171