Dr. Pieter Van Der Zaag

Biography

Pieter van der Zaag is a professor of water resources management at the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. His academic career includes significant roles as a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe from 1993 to 2003. He has special interests in agricultural water management, water allocation, and managing catchment areas, particularly in transboundary river basins. Pieter has published widely on these topics and is particularly fascinated by the dynamic relationship between biophysical and social processes in water management, seeking to understand cooperation patterns in the water sector. His current research focuses on the role of inequality and heterogeneity in enduring water institutions, harnessing water storage solutions for smallholders in (semi-)arid regions of Africa, and developing models for water allocation in large irrigation systems. Pieter also has extensive experience in leading interdisciplinary research and capacity-building projects across various countries, including Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, and more. He serves as an associate editor for Water Policy and is a member of the editorial board for Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, as well as committees related to water and environmental research.

Research Interests