Welcome to my blog! My name is Robin Peters (24) and a Master student in Business Adminstration at the University of Twente with a BSc degree in civil and business engineering. In my master thesis i wanted to combine these backgrounds and Witteveen+Bos gave me the oppurtunity to do this toghether with my PhD supervisor to provide me a place in her program, Many thanks to this!

The subject of my study concerns the role of Dutch actors in international watermanagement projects and from there how to optimise it. The research design concerns the case of the Banger Pilot Polder project in Semarang, Indonesia.

I was pretty fond with this case, because it is a very interesting project, as both a technological and a instituitional solution is being developed. When the polder is implemented the living conditions of the 84.000 inhabitants of the polder will really improve. For whom not interested yet in this project google the internet and read my blog! Or see the website of the Polder Board below.

To determine the role Dutch actors played i did some interviews in the Netherlands, but more important will be the way Indonesia people perceive it. Therefore i will be heading to Jakarta and Semarang for about three Months to do interviews, observations and document analysis. 

To me, i see it as a great oppurtunity to learn allot proffesionally and personally. I am also looking forward to learn about the Indonesia culture, as i only hear good stories about the people. Stories you can read and maybe envision by reading this blog, feel free to join me on this journey overhere!

Selamat!

Robin

http://www.bpp-sima.org/dutch#!__english/services

Description of project

Phases
The Semarang Pilot Polder project initially comprised of four phases, (1) Feasibility study , (2) institutional implementation of a Polder Authority (PA) in co-operation with the Dutch Schieland and Krimpenerwaard District Water Board (HSSK), (3) the technical design of the Pilot Polder, (4) knowledge transfer by the establishment of guidelines, addressing the experience of previous phases. Now we arrived at the final stage, implementation and sustainment.

The physical conditions are quite different from the Dutch situation. For instance: the pilot area is densely built and contains an organic network of infrastructure, the rainfall is 5 times as intense and, moreover, the pilot area is subject to land subsidence of approximately 10 cm per year.

Implementation
Beside the challenging technical aspects, the implementation of the polder concept in the existing social structures is a tough job. To manage the implementation, a PA has been set up in co-operation with local authorities. Gradually, the PA will take on responsibility for the polder management. In order to establish appropriate management, public support is essential. This requires extensive contacts with representatives of the local community. The PA were trained on the basis of the polder guideline and intensive courses. At the end of 2009, the polder design and the guideline will were handed over to the PA.

At the moment parts of the design are being implemented and the PA is established, still receiving back-up of Dutch experts from Witteveen+Bos and HSSK.