Harnessing Advances in Agricultural Technologies to Optimize Resource Utilization in the Food-Energy-Water Nexus

Abstract

Food-energy-water (FEW) nexus is facing grand challenges in meeting increasing demand resulting from global changes in climate, economy, and population. Emerging technologies are expected to play a critical role in responding to these challenges. Focusing on four types of prominent emerging technologies, namely, precision agriculture coupled with big data and machine learning, gene editing, the second-generation biofuels, and Agrivoltaics, the article reviews existing studies regarding opportunities and challenges of these emerging technologies to address issues related to the FEW nexus. It also reviews drivers of innovation and adoption of these emerging technologies as well as the roles of public policies interacting with the drivers. Characteristics of technologies and of farmers, together with policy incentives, are key determinants of technology adoption. To evaluate and harness the potential benefits as well as to prevent the negative effects of emerging technologies, holistic, instead of siloed, research and policy design approaches should be employed.