Water Energy Food Nexus Research Articles

Wild caught Alaska sockeye salmon: A case study of the food energy water nexus for a sustainable wild catch fishery

There is a gap in information in the literature regarding the energy and water embodied is seafood, especially wild catch fisheries. This work draws on primary and secondary data to assess, through a life cycle approach, the energy and water consumed to catch and process wild sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay, Alaska (USA). The Bristol Bay sockeye salmon fishery is a very remote wild catch fishery. All material inputs and labor are either barged or flown in from other parts of Alaska, and the lower U.S. states. In addition, a large monitoring and enforcement effort by the State of Alaska is conducted to sustainably manage the fishery. We therefore expanded the system boundary to include energy and water for commuting laborer's and regulators to depict the system within a wider context. Structured interviews were conducted to elicit information from fishers and processors related to their use of water and energy and to ascertain potentials for reducing energy and water demand of the fishery. The energy associated with fishing and processing sockeye ranges between 24.6 and 33.8 MJ kg−1 with fishing effort accounting for 43% of the total energy embodied in products. The water embodied in final sockeye salmon products ranged between 10 and 23 L/kg, mainly the result of processing and packaging. Combined, labor transport and fishery management contributed 8% to the embodied energy in sockeye products, while contributing less that 1% of the water embodied in sockeye products. While not insignificant, the energy costs of fishery management are inconsequential and should provide adequate justification for continued sustainable management and forceful information for consumer choice. The combination of governmental regulations and the remote location results in few opportunities for lowering energy and water demand of this already efficient fishery.

Sustainability and assessment of factors driving the water-energy-food nexus in pumped irrigation systems

Understanding the status of water-energy-food (WEF) Nexus, oriented to the whole process of water extraction and deployment, water consumption for crop growth, and food production output, in irrigation systems is essential for food security and resources sustainability. Based on WEF Nexus quantification, combining traditional agricultural water-saving and water footprint theory, the sustainable development level (SDL) of water acquisition-transfer-consumption process for pumped irrigation systems was analyzed, using the principal component analysis (PCA) and taking the Lianshui Irrigation District (LID) in eastern China as a case study, in this paper. The driving mechanism of SDL for WEF Nexus was revealed by virtue of the partial least-squares regression (PLSR). Results showed that, annual SDL of the WEF Nexus in the pumped irrigation systems was 0.3 during the study period 2005–2019, mainly due to the low SDLe and SDLf, indicating that sustainability had been concerned. PRE and RRI were significant-positive factors, while CDI functioned as significant-negative driving factors on SDL of WEF Nexus. The measures adjusting crop planting structure, transforming irrigation and drainage mode, updating water pump equipment, and increasing agricultural investment contribute to the sustainability of WEF Nexus in the observed irrigation systems. Therefore, the sustainable management can be implemented according to the unique driving factors identification of WEF Nexus in pumped irrigation systems. The research is conducive to the management and program for irrigated agricultural systems under the changing circumstances.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Solar Energy Forecasting Studies in Africa

Solar energy forecasting is considered an essential scientific aspect in supporting efforts to integrate solar energy into power grids. Moreover, solar energy forecasting plays an essential role in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and conserving energy for future use. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis to assess solar energy forecasting research studies evolution at the continental (Africa) and southern Africa levels. Key aspects of analysis included (i) scientific research trends, (ii) nature of collaboration networks, (iii) co-occurrence of keywords and (iv) emerging themes in solar energy forecasting over the last two decades, between the years 2000–2021. The results indicate that solar energy forecasting research has, on average, expanded by 6.4% and 3.3% in Africa and southern Africa, respectively. Based on the study context, solar energy forecasting research only gained momentum in 2015, peaking in 2019, but it is generally still subtle. The scientific mapping illustrated that only South Africa ranks among the leading countries that have produced high numbers of published documents and also leads in contributions to the research area in both Africa and southern Africa. Three emerging topics were identified from the thematic map analysis—namely, “solar irradiance”, “artificial intelligence” and “clear sky”, which implies that researchers are paying attention to solar irradiance, using modelling techniques that incorporate machine learning techniques. Overall, this study contributes to scientific information on the potential bankability of renewable energy projects that could assist power utilities, governments and policymakers in Africa to enforce the green economy through accelerated decarbonisation of the energy systems and building relationships with developed countries for support and better transitioning to solar energy. From a Water–Energy–Food nexus perspective, the results of this work could assist the scientific community in Africa to take advantage of the inherent interconnectedness of water, energy and food resources, whilst also advancing the use of integrated solutions to shape the focus of solar energy research into a more systems thinking and transdisciplinary approach involving the interconnected primary resources and stakeholders pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sustainability of Boro rice cultivation in the canal irrigated command area of India

Abstract A comprehensive assessment and monitoring of rice intensification in canal irrigated command areas and its consequences on groundwater dynamics have enormous importance for the water–food–energy nexus. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal transition of Boro rice cultivation, canal irrigation practices during the cultivation season, and its effect on groundwater of a pioneering multipurpose water resource project in India. The rice maps from 1989 to 2018 were generated from Landsat and Sentinel-2A images using the Iterative Self-Organizing Data Analysis Technique Algorithm (ISODATA), the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) to understand the historical distribution of rice cultivation. The ISODATA clustering algorithm performed well compared to the NDVI and the EVI with medium-resolution satellite images. The impact of Boro rice cultivation on groundwater resources was investigated by considering GLDAS NOAH model-based crop evapotranspiration, rainfall, and canal water supply. The area under rice cultivation increased from 33 to 66% during 1989–2018 due to its higher stress tolerance ability and productivity. However, during the cultivation period, the canal water supply was limited to the upstream and middle section of the command area, irrigating only 19% of the rice-cultivated area on average. The unavailability of the canal water supply during the cultivation season has led to 31 m of groundwater level depletion, which, if unchecked, may lead to overexploitation of groundwater in the middle and lower sections of the command area. The results of this study can be used to identify vulnerable areas that require urgent attention and accurate implementation of any agricultural or hydrological policy.

A Societal Metabolism Approach to Effectively Analyze the Water–Energy–Food Nexus in an Agricultural Transboundary River Basin

We implemented the semantically open conceptual framework ‘Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism’ (MuSIASEM) to deal with nexus challenges in agricultural production systems in transboundary river basins, using the Iranian Aras River Basin as a case study. The performance of the agricultural sector was characterized for relevant typologies of crop production using metabolic profiles, i.e., inputs and outputs per ton of crop produced, per hectare of land use, and per hour of labor. This analysis was contextualized across hierarchical levels of analysis, including the agronomic context at the regional level (rainfed versus irrigated cultivation), the socio-economic and political context at the national level (food sovereignty; urbanization), and the hydro-ecological context of the larger transboundary river basin (water constraints, GHG emissions). We found that the simultaneous use of two different interrelated logics of aggregation—the productivity of land and labor (relevant for the agronomic and socio-economic dimension) and the density of flows under different land uses (relevant for the hydrological and ecological dimension)—allowed for the identification of trade-offs in policy deliberations. In the case of Iran, it showed that striving for strategic autonomy will exacerbate the current water crisis; with the current cropping patterns, agronomic improvements will not suffice to avert a water crisis. It was concluded that the proposed approach fills an important gap in nexus research, but to effectively guide nexus governance in the region, a co-production of the analysis with social actors as well as more complete data sets at the river basin level would be essential.

An assessment of strategies for sustainability priority challenges in Jordan using a water–energy–food Nexus approach

This study aimed at supporting robust decision-making for planning and management of water–energy–food Nexus systems in the country of Jordan. Nexus priority challenges in Jordan were identified as (1) water scarcity, (2) agricultural productivity and water quality, and (3) shift to energy independence. We created a water–energy–food Nexus model that integrates three modelling frameworks: (1) the Water Evaluation and Planning system WEAP model to estimate water demands, supplies and allocation; (2) the MABIA model to estimate crop production, and, (3) a GIS-based energy modelling tool to estimate energy requirements of the water system. Through a set of scenario runs, results show how desalination is needed to address water scarcity, but it has to be coupled with low-carbon electricity generation in order to not exacerbate climate change. Improving water productivity in agriculture improves most of the studied dimensions across the water–energy–food security nexus; however, it does little for water scarcity at the municipal level. Reducing non-revenue water can have positive effects on municipal unmet demand and reduction of energy for pumping, but it does not improve agricultural water productivity and may have negative feedback effects on the Jordan Valleys aquifer levels. Energy efficiency can support energy-intensive projects, like desalination, by substantially reducing the load on the energy system, preventing increased emissions and achieving a more resilient water system. Finally, when all interventions are considered together all of the major drawbacks are reduced and the benefits augmented, producing a more holistic solution to the WEF Nexus challenges in Jordan.

The value of wild fish: diet and livelihoods in two rural villages in the Mun River Basin, northeastern Thailand

ABSTRACT Over the last few decades, much has been written about the negative impacts of hydropower dams on wild-capture fisheries in the Mekong River Basin. Furthermore, some studies associated with the water–energy–food nexus have appropriately linked the impacts of hydropower dams to fisheries and human nutrition. Although some research related to food security and nutrition considered changes in human dietary preferences over time, studies about the impacts of hydropower dams on fisheries often implicitly assume that there have been no changes in dietary preferences. Here, we investigate two communities located near tributaries of the Mun River in Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeastern Thailand. We find that while wild-caught aquatic animals remain important, their utilization has shifted due to changes in dietary preferences and other factors. In particular, people often sell wild-caught fish, and use the money to buy other types of animal protein to consume. We suggest that this important issue deserves more attention.

Paths and strategies for a resilient megacity based on the water-energy-food nexus

• Summarize the economic and social characteristics of megacities. • Present a roadmap of disaster impacting on resilience of megacities. • Consider water-energy-food nexus into resilience of megacity. • Problems brought by water-energy-food significantly affect resilience of megacities. • Infrastructure construction was key to zhengzhou's resilience. Megacities are more vulnerable to disasters because of their large population and high external dependence on basic resources. To deal with short-term shocks and long-term pressures, there is an urgent need for megacities to enhance their resilience. As the basic resources for production and living, water, energy, and food show a relationship called “nexus,” which affects the ability of megacities to address the impact of disasters. Hence, an evaluation index system of a resilient megacity based on water–energy–food nexus (WEFN) was established to assess the resilience level of megacities. The entropy weight-TOPSIS method and obstacle degree model were used, and Zhengzhou was selected as an example to study the paths and strategies for its resilience. It was found that infrastructure construction was key to Zhengzhou's resilience; problems caused by production, allocation, and consumption of water, energy, and food had great impacts on it. To improve its resilience, Zhengzhou should optimize its industrial structure, strengthen its social security, improve infrastructure investment, and strengthen the supply chain. The resilience framework of megacities accounting for WEFN can more comprehensively review the deficiencies in resilience construction and then provide decision-making tools for resilience construction planning of megacities.

Identifying leverage points for shifting Water-Energy-Food nexus cases towards sustainability through the Networks of Action Situations approach combined with systems thinking

In the twenty-first century, the world´s demand for natural resources is more pressing and deeply interconnected than ever before. The Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus has gained growing interest as a promising concept for complex resource management challenges. However, knowledge about the root causes of cross-sectoral coordination problems and how they can be shifted towards sustainability is still lacking. This paper fills this gap by conceptualising a WEF nexus case with the Networks of Action Situations approach combined with systems thinking. This approach allows a deep analysis of the root causes of coordination gaps, facilitates a joint understanding of the system dynamics to identify leverage points for shifting the WEF nexus towards sustainability, and to envision the impact of potential interventions on the network of action situations and their outcome. The value and the reciprocal benefits of the combined approach introduced are illustrated for a case in Switzerland, Europe. The results show a coordination gap between the different sectors and that not all sectors were considered equally. This leads to a prioritization of energy production over water-bound biodiversity and food production. The root causes for this outcome are a focus to mitigate climate change and awareness of biodiversity but much less awareness of the impacts of climate change on Swiss water bodies. The study identifies five deep leverage points for interventions, which are expected to ensure a shared systemic problem understanding and more balanced coordination between different sectors resulting in the sustainable and equitable provision and utilization of WEF resources.

Towards an operational irrigation management system for Sweden with a water–food–energy nexus perspective

The 2018 drought in Sweden prompted questions about climate-adaptation and -mitigation measures – especially in the agricultural sector, which suffered the most. This study applies a water–food–energy nexus modelling framework to evaluate drought impacts on irrigation and agriculture in Sweden using 2018 and 2019 as case studies. A previous water–food–energy nexus model was updated to facilitate an investigation of the benefits of data-driven irrigation scheduling as compared to existing irrigation guidelines. Moreover, the benefits of assimilating earth observation data in the crop model have been explored. The assimilation of leaf area index data from the Copernicus Global Land Service improves the crop yield estimation as compared to default crop model parameters. The results show that the irrigation water productivities of the proposed model are measurably improved compared to conventional and static irrigation guidelines for both 2018 and 2019. This is mostly due to the advantage of the proposed model in providing evapotranspiration in cultural condition (ETc)-driven guidelines by using spatially explicit data generated by mesoscale models from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. During the drought year 2018, the developed model showed no irrigation water savings as compared to irrigation scenarios based on conventional irrigation guidelines. Nevertheless, the crop yield increase from the proposed irrigation management system varied between 10% and 60% as compared to conventional irrigation scenarios. During a normal year, the proposed irrigation management system leads to significant water savings as compared to conventional irrigation guidelines. The modelling results show that temperature stress during the 2018 drought also played a key role in reducing crop yields, with yield reductions of up to 30%. From a water–food–energy nexus, this motivates the implementation of new technologies to reduce water and temperature stress to mitigate likely negative effects of climate change and extremes. By using an open-source package for Google Earth®, a demonstrator of cost-effective visualization platform is developed for helping farmers, and water- and energy-management agencies to better understand the connections between water and energy use, and food production. This can be significant, especially during the occurrence of extreme events, but also to adapt to the negative effects on agricultural production of climate changes.

To what extent should we ensure the explicit inclusion of water quality within the WEF nexus? Discussion of “Water quality: the missing dimension of water in the water–energy–food nexus”

ABSTRACT We congratulate Heal et al. for initiating an important discussion on how to broaden the scope of the water–energy–food nexus. We agree that more explicit inclusion of water quality into the nexus is an important step forward. At the same time, water quality is itself an indicator of e.g. ecosystem services and biodiversity, and improvement of water quality comes with a cost in terms of resource consumption that is typically not included in models studying the water–energy–food nexus. We already see hesitation in using the nexus for policy development, and further complexity may be an additional barrier to its practical implementation. So, while the consideration of water quality is indeed important for the nexus, it also suggests that perhaps it is necessary to consider more local contexts than striving for one global framing for analysis of the water–energy–food nexus.

Sustainable WEF Nexus Management: A Conceptual Framework to Integrate Models of Social, Economic, Policy, and Institutional Developments

Rapid population growth along with increased rates of economic growth around the globe are placing valuable natural resources, water in particular, under unprecedented stress; this in turn drives the pursuit of innovative tools to support integrated Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus management. This paper presents a framework for the integrated management of the WEF nexus, which brings together four separate models that address the less well-examined socio-anthropological aspects of the nexus. The proposed framework provides insight into the human element as part of the wider ecosystem in terms of socio-cultural and economic activities, the laws and policies that govern these activities, as well as their potential socio-economic impacts and consequences. This paper outlines each individual model, before going on to present a conceptual framework for the integration of the various models for the purpose of supporting more robust decision-making. The framework, which is grounded in systems thinking, adopts the principles of sustainable development as structural foci in order to position the various models in relation to one another; harmonizing their inputs as well as outputs.

Environmental assessment of vegetable crops towards the water-energy-food nexus: A combination of precision agriculture and life cycle assessment

The increase in world population and the resulting demand for food, water and energy are exerting increasing pressure on soil, water resources and ecosystems. Identification of tools to minimise the related environmental impacts within the food–energy–water nexus is, therefore, crucial. The purpose of the study is to carry out an analysis of the agri-food sector in order to improve the energy-environmental performance of four vegetable crops (beans, peas, sweet corn, tomato) through a combination of precision agriculture (PA) and life cycle assessment (LCA). Thus, PA strategies were identified and a full LCA was performed on actual and future scenarios for all crops in order to evaluate the benefits of a potential combination of these two tools. In the case study analysed, a life cycle approach was able to target water consumption as a key parameter for the reduced water availability of future climate scenarios and to set a multi-objective function combining also such environmental aspects to the original goal of yield maximisation. As a result, the combination of PA with the LCA perspective potentially allowed the path for an optimal trade-off of all the parameters involved and an overall reduction of the expected environmental impacts in future climate scenarios.

Water–food–energy nexus: Assessing challenges in the trend toward digitalization: The case study of an Italian winemaking industry

AbstractData driven food‐manufacturing systems assure cost reduction, increased efficiency, improved product quality. These elements come together in a virtuous circle of digital transformation centered on sustainability. Viticulture is among the first applications of the smart‐agriculture concept. Precision viticulture has become one of the agribusiness sectors where there is the great attempt to apply the principles of Agrifood 4.0. However, when shifting the focus from raw materials production (e.g., grapes) to their processing into a final product (e.g., wine), measured water and energy consumption fluxes may go in and out a black box rather than being detailed at each operational unit level. Within the food industries panorama, the wine industry may be the most complex, making the upgrade of the traditional wine industry into a digital one burdensome. Indeed, big data centralization is a priority that allows enterprises to transmit real‐time information in terms of process behavior and performance and enables process optimization engineers to spot the energy inefficiencies and the options for process integration for water recycling.The Italian wine industry is strongly committed to sustainability and a case study is here proposed as an example to discuss the challenges in the trend toward digitalization in the winemaking sector.

Opportunities and Challenges for Establishing a Resource Nexus Community of Science and Practice

The American Chemical Society’s Division of Environmental Chemistry symposium Toward Creating a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus Community of Practice, brought together 25 cross-disciplinary speakers in five thematic areas: 1) state of the art models and approaches, 2) WEF Nexus initiatives and case studies, 3) WEF governance and stakeholder engagement, 4) chemical processes and WEF Nexus, 5) WEF education, community, and practice. Discussions included diverse perspectives from different areas of expertise and provided key take-home messages toward building a WEF community of practice. This paper summarizes those messages, drawing conclusions regarding the anticipated challenges and opportunities moving toward establishing a resource-nexus community of science and practice that includes the chemical societies. We define the community of science and practice as a bottom-up approach of formal and non-formal scientists, policy makers, practitioners, technology providers, and civil society members concerned with any aspect of water, energy, food, ecosystem resources allocation, management, governance, and financing. The roles of chemistry and chemical processes in understanding the interlinkages of nexus systems must not be overlooked. Chemistry plays an important role in the circularity of the food and agriculture system, and in providing cleaner energy, cleaner water, and more sustainable food production. The question is how to better engage the chemical society in the WEF nexus moving forward? The paper proposes the resource of health, highlighting major challenges and opportunities in the Water-Energy-Food-Health-Ecosystems (WEFH) Nexus, and highlights future steps for fostering dialogue among this broad, multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder community toward establishing an inclusive community of science and practice.

An Input–Output Analysis of the Water–Energy–Food Nexus Based on the Intensity and Quantity Index System—A Case Study of 30 Provinces in China

In the study of the water–energy–food nexus (WEF nexus), the importance of the intensity and quantity index system has been widely recognized. In order to study the impact of WEF on the economy, this paper establishes an intensity index system and a quantity index system, taking account of the impact of environmental pollution. Using a DEA model and China’s provincial data from 2019, this paper calculated the efficiency of the WEF nexus with the developed intensity and quantity index systems. The results show that the efficiency is not high in areas with a high economic development level, and efficiency is not the lowest in areas with a relatively low economic development level. When considering environmental pollution, the efficiency of some provinces has increased significantly, indicating that the WEF nexus has not caused environmental damage and is conducive to sustainable economic development. In the two intensity index systems, the efficiency of the production system is significantly lower than that of the consumption system, indicating that there is a serious waste of cultivated land per capita. Compared with the intensity index system, the efficiency of the quantity index system is low, and the polarization is obvious. A high level of GDP does not mean a high level of economic development. There may be a low level of resource utilization technology or environmental pollution underlying it. It is unscientific to evaluate local economic development only by GDP. When evaluating the urban economy and national economy, we should conduct an overall study of WEF and reasonably allocate WEF resources, which will not only help to alleviate the current situation of resource shortage in various countries but also effectively promote the coordinated development of national and regional economies. At the same time, environmental protection should also be taken into account. Compared with the economic development model of developing the economy first and then solving environmental problems, developing and solving at the same time is more conducive to the sustainable development of the national economy.

The role of water and energy use in expanding the boundaries of irrigated agriculture in the Berrechid plain of Morocco

AbstractDespite the attention given to the water–energy–food nexus, there is little field evidence of how this plays out for irrigators. This article analyses the diversity of irrigation system configurations and their related water and energy use in semi‐arid Morocco, where groundwater‐fed and pressurized drip irrigation, although supposedly thrifty, is energy intensive. The analysis relying on hydraulic calculations and multiple linear regressions was based on interviews, observations and measurements on irrigation systems in 25 farms. The results show that each farmer used between one and three pumps and up to two storage reservoirs to pump groundwater from up to 120 m deep borehole(s) and transfer it along a distance often exceeding 2 km to reach available fertile lands that are rented. Such distances had little effect on the system‐wise energy consumption, varying between 4.62 and 4.88 kWh m−3, although the recycled car engines powering these irrigation systems were largely inefficient, consuming on average 2.5 kWh m−3. State subsidies encourage these water‐intensive and energy‐inefficient farming systems, increasing pressure on groundwater and land. These findings underline the importance of going beyond a strict nexus perspective, as expansion of the ‘groundwater economy’ is accompanied by conflicts over tenure and increasing inequalities in access to water that threaten the sustainability of irrigated agriculture.

Resilience Analysis Framework for a Water–Energy–Food Nexus System Under Climate Change

Climate change impacts the water–energy–food security; given the complexities of interlinkages in the nexus system, these effects may become exacerbated when feedback loops magnify detrimental effects and create vicious cycles. Resilience is understood as the system’s adaptive ability to maintain its functionality even when the system is being affected by a disturbance or shock; in WEF nexus systems, climate change impacts are considered disturbances/shocks and may affect the system in different ways, depending on its resilience. Future global challenges will severely affect all vital resources and threaten environmental resilience. In this article, we present a resilience analysis framework for a water–energy–food nexus system under climate change, and we identify how such systems can become more resilient with the implementation of policies. We showcase results in the national case study of Greece. Parametric sensitivity analysis for socioecological systems is performed to identify which parameter the model is the most sensitive to. The case study is based on the structure of a system dynamics model that maps sector-specific data from major national and international databases while causal loop diagrams and stock-and-flow diagrams are presented. Through engineering and ecological resilience metrics, we quantify system resilience and identify which policy renders the system more resilient in terms of how much perturbation it can absorb and how fast it bounces back to its original state, if at all. Two policies are tested, and the framework is implemented to identify which policy is the most beneficial for the system in terms of resilience.

Ten Years of Research on the Water-Energy-Food Nexus: An Analysis of Topics Evolution

This study explores how the concept and research on the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus has evolved over time. The research uncovers the key terms underpinning the phenomenon, maps the interlinkages between WEF nexus topics, and provides an overview of the evolution of the concept of WEF nexus. We analyzed published academic literature from the Scopus database and performed both qualitative and quantitative analyses using Natural Language Processing method. The findings suggest that the nexus approach is increasingly evolving into an integrative concept, and has been incorporating new topics over time, resulting in different methods for WEF nexus research, with a focus on interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral analyses. Through the five periods outlined, we have identified the nexus approach debate focused on the following predominant topics: i) Trend 1 (2012–2016) debates on WEF nexus for water management and natural resource security, ii) Trend 2 (2017–2018) linkages between the nexus, the sustainable development goals and green economy, iii) Trend 3 (2019) WEF nexus governance and policy integration, iv) Trend 4 (2020) application of the nexus concept on different scales, including regions, countries, watersheds, urban areas as well as other components coupled to the WEF nexus, and, v) Trend 5 (2021) climate change and urban nexus challenges.

A quantitative analysis framework for water-food-energy nexus in an agricultural watershed using WEAP-MODFLOW

The challenges of securing safe water supply, sustainable food production and energy conservation make quantitatively analysis of the water-food-energy (WFE) nexus in agricultural watersheds a very important issue. At present, understanding of the complex interactions among the WFE nexus in agricultural watersheds considering the conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater are limited. Based on the WEAP-MODFLOW, this paper proposed a quantitative analysis framework to analyze the interactions among WFE nexus in agricultural watersheds, which considers various scenarios such as water-saving irrigation and drought. The results indicated that this framework can sensitively capture the existing trade-offs and synergies to identify possible comprehensive measures to ensure safe access to water, food, and energy in agricultural watersheds especially in drought conditions. It could also provide valuable assistance for managers and policymakers to think beyond sectors to increase the resilience of WFE sectors under changing environment. Our results show that the impacts of drought have reduced the amount of surface water irrigation due to limited surface water supply, resulting in more than doubled groundwater extraction which may pose a crisis for sustainable use of groundwater, and an increase of 47% in energy consumption for pumping. After integrated management measures, food production rose by 6% while the groundwater level was restored by 0.48 m compared to that under drought, and energy consumption was reduced by 3% compared with water-saving irrigation only. The sustainability index results under different scenarios also reflect the higher sustainability of integrated measures management under drought impacts (SI = 0.13).