Abstract
This paper undertakes a systematic review of the literature to understand current trends in the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus for development-oriented policy support. The paper follows three steps: (a) a bibliometric analysis of FEW nexus research, (b) a content analysis of FEW nexus research, and (c) development of a framework that fills existing gaps in FEW nexus research. The review found that FEW nexus approaches have gained ground in academia as a resource management tool and policy guide; however, the process does not have a robust conceptualization. The current FEW nexus approaches focus on national, regional, and international scales of analysis to understand the three sectors’ interactions. Further, these approaches underline the nexus processes, which have been researched in detail, including synergies and tradeoffs. However, research on the FEW nexus has not adequately explored the social factors that form part of the nexus, especially at the local household scale. Factors such as the gender dynamics of resource ownership, work roles at different scales, household incomes, and culture are essential components that are yet to be explored in FEW nexus research. Most of the existing frameworks on the FEW nexus overemphasize models and the quantitative measurement of processes while paying limited attention to social aspects. Still, these social aspects are crucial, especially on the household scale; therefore, to overcome these gaps, this paper proposes a FEW nexus framework at the local household scale that includes socio-economic determinants.
Highlights
Driven by the need to understand the interactions between food, energy, and water at various scales globally, research in the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus is expanding within academia [1]
The FEW nexus is very important as it provides an integrated framework that is useful for unpacking the intricate interconnections and interdependencies that exist between the three crucial sectors for human sustenance
The years 2016 and 2015 had the highest numbers of citations for FEW nexus articles, with 973 and 846 citations in those years, respectively. This could be connected with the ending of the millennium development goals and the adoption of the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Summary
Driven by the need to understand the interactions between food, energy, and water at various scales globally, research in the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus is expanding within academia [1]. Current nexus frameworks show the geopolitical underpinnings that influence and result from interactions such as national strategies to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) [5, 6]. They explore the policy options that can be obtained from understanding the FEW nexus [7, 8]. They are very useful for informing policy strategies that can best address resource management and utilization at various levels [2, 4, 9]. The FEW nexus is very important as it provides an integrated framework that is useful for unpacking the intricate interconnections and interdependencies that exist between the three crucial sectors for human sustenance
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