Netherlands Engineer Team Assisting Bihar (NETAB)
- Duration
- 23 May 1968 - 21 May 1969
- Military personnel
- 21
- Fatalities
- none
- Decorations
- none
During the summers of 1965 and 1966, India was faced with severe drought. Large parts of the Indian population were at risk of starvation and it was only because of the international food programme ‘Food for India’ that the number of famine victims was kept relatively low.
Dutch irrigation project
To help in making future food production less dependent on the climate, the Dutch government offered assistance in 1967 in the form of an irrigation project, carried out by engineers. A military detachment was to help India's starving population to set up a water collection project in the state of Bihar, the Bihar Water Development Project.
Increasing food production
A preliminary study was carried out by Major G.W. Metz of the army and civilian adviser ir. G.P. Felius from the Department of Public Works and Water Management in order to define the task further. On their return, they reported that the problem in India was primarily one of food shortages. The aim of the proposed water project would have to be to increase food production.
Operational area
The work sphere of the Dutch detachment in Bihar was confined to the worst hit area, the Gaya district, situated to the northwest of the River Ganges. Dutch military personnel were deployed for a year.