Sectoral Assessment of the Energy, Water, Waste and Land Nexus in the Sustainability of Agricultural Products in Cameroon

Abstract

To ensure sustainable production and consumption in the agricultural sector, it is necessary to assess the contribution of each element of the nexus in the agricultural production chain. The aim of this study is to make a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the contributions of each element of the energy, water, waste and land nexus to agricultural products. A composite method approach combining aspects based on an input–output model and location quotient (LQ) as well as competitive position is adopted. A database of nexus elements over a period from 2009 to 2018 is used for Cameroon, with ten regions considered. The results show proportions of around 0.42% energy, 67.88% water withdrawal, 11.91% harvested area and 97.81% waste for agricultural products. The geolocation of harvested areas shows that the largest portion is in the far north (1,373,829 ha) and the smallest is in Adamawa (224,038 ha). Maximum production is in the central region (4,334,095 tons) and the minimum is in the Adamawa region (915,841 tons). The central, littoral and west regions are more representative of agricultural products. The analysis of the competitive position of agricultural products contributes to a better orientation of national strategies for agricultural sustainability according to the existing potentials.