The food-water-energy nexus governance model: A case study for Iran

Abstract

As the world's population grows, food and energy supply will be one of the most important challenges. Agriculture, as the most important food producer, is not only a consumer of water and energy but also a major supplier of energy. Consequently, a balance must be struck between the harvest and utilization of production resources and the amount of agricultural production. The UN's Third Millennium Goals are on the agenda of achieving sustainable long-term development of human societies and ensuring food, water, and energy availability for future generations. To accomplish these goals, researchers have developed numerous interdisciplinary and specialized frameworks and approaches to achieve a dynamic and optimal balance of production and resource utilization, one of which being water, energy, and food. The water, energy and food Nexus approach is an overall vision of sustainability that strives to balance the various goals, interests, and needs of people and the environment by quantifying water, energy and food relationships through qualitative and quantitative modeling as well as advancing research for Integrate modeling and management to deliver important sustainable development strategies in today's dynamic and complex world. Given the environmental and water crises that threaten the Iranian nation's food and energy security, water, energy, and food, Nexus management can bring about change and balance in different sectors, depending on the needs and participation of all stakeholders. In this paper, a novel model for the Nexus approach governance model using the multi-layer visionary is being developed for the Iranian region for the water and food crisis the country is facing today.