Water Energy Food Research Articles

Disaster resilience of household-level food-energy-water nexus

This study examines the resilience and sustainability of household-level Food-Energy-Water (FEW) systems in the face of increasing natural disasters exacerbated by climate change. With the backdrop of escalating natural hazards and heightened vulnerabilities, this research explores innovative approaches to enhancing household resilience through the implementation of sustainable FEW systems such as rainwater harvesting, sand filtration, solar energy, geothermal energy, gas-powered and solar generators, hydroponic food production, and small greenhouses. Three primary scenarios, food disruption, energy scarcity, and water shortage are analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of various household-level FEW systems within a residential context. These systems are compared in terms of cost-effectiveness and performance, highlighting their capacity to supply essential needs during crises. The paper also introduces an integrated nexus approach, considering the interdependencies among food, energy, and water systems, and evaluates the compounded impact of simultaneous disruptions. This comprehensive analysis aims to provide actionable insights into the development of resilient infrastructures at a micro-scale, which can significantly mitigate the adverse effects of global environmental changes on local scales.

Stakeholder perspectives on fostering the water-energy-food nexus in Jordan: Lessons beyond agricultural water management

Abstract The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus is an integrated conceptual tool for achieving sustainable development especially for countries facing limitations in one or more of its three pillars. The approach relies on bringing different stakeholders from the water, agriculture and energy sectors together to collaboratively plan and adopt a holistic approach to resources management. This enables them to address sector-specific issues and develop a comprehensive understanding of the connected sectors leading to better outcomes. However, WEF nexus implementation is currently in its infancy in many countries and stakeholders are in the process of learning how to effectively communicate and collaborate with each other. In this paper, we report the state of the WEF nexus in Jordan, a dry country grappling with water, energy and food production challenges in a changing climate. Stakeholders from line ministries, academics, private sector players and non-state actors were brought together to discuss the status of the WEF nexus and identify challenges that need to be overcome for full realization of the WEF nexus as an operational framework for integrated development at country level. Stakeholders identified 7 cardinal lessons in the process of WEF nexus implementation in Jordan. These are that (i) data/information sharing is vital (ii) WEF nexus requires funding, (iii) collaborations among actors is key, (iv) inclusivity in planning is necessary, (v) clear responsibilities and boundaries among stakeholders are needed, (vi) sustainability and cohesion are a must and (vii) building trust among and within organizations is a primary ingredient for success. A deeper understanding of the interrelated dynamics of these challenges is required to foster the WEF nexus in Jordan as the issues are grave but not insurmountable. It is therefore suggested that deliberate efforts are needed from a technical and policy angle to ensure full operationalization of the WEF nexus approach in Jordan and elsewhere.

Urban FEW Nexus Model for the Otun River Watershed

The food–energy–water (FEW) nexus has emerged as an alternative for managing resources in the food, energy, and water systems. However, there are limited case studies applying this approach in the Latin American and Caribbean region. This region stands to benefit significantly from the FEW nexus approach due to its heavy reliance on hydropower for electricity generation and unevenly distributed and poorly managed water resources. In this study, an urban FEW nexus framework was used in the Otun River Watershed (ORW) to evaluate changes in food, energy, and water demand for four scenarios. Additionally, regional climate models (RCMs) were used to forecast water availability in the ORW from 2030–2039. The results show that water demand could increase by 16% and energy demand will increase by roughly 15% for scenario 2, while water demand in scenario 3 will likely remain unchanged in relation to the current conditions (base scenario). Enhancing water resources management in the ORW will involve a variety of measures, including: implementing practices to reduce water losses in distribution systems, developing green infrastructure and decentralized wastewater systems, and embracing urban and peri-urban farming. Successful application of urban FEW nexus solutions requires involvement from stakeholders across the food, energy, and water systems.

Evaluation and External Driving Factors Analysis of Water–Energy–Food Resilience Security—Based on Spatial Durbin Model and Four Provinces Along the Yellow River

Research on water–energy–food security is crucial for ensuring the sustainable development of human society. Building on the water–energy–food theory and resilience concepts, a novel perspective termed “resilience security” was proposed. This differs from traditional approaches focused on coordination security and efficiency security. An indicator evaluation system consisting of 29 indicators was developed. Panel data from 2009 to 2022 in 40 cities across Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, and Shaanxi Provinces along the Yellow River were used to assess local water–energy–food resilience security. The nine external driving factors were empirically analyzed in different provinces using a spatial Durbin model. The findings indicate that: (1) over the 14-year period, the water––energy–food resilience security of the sample transitioned from a near-exposure state to an initial resistance state; and (2) over the 14-year period, administrative power, market power, resource flow capacity, population density, industrial structure, urbanization level, scientific and technological inputs, environmental governance inputs, and spatial geographic factors significantly influenced regional water–energy–food resilience security, with notable variations across provinces.

Towards sustainable land management in small islands: A Water-Energy-Food nexus approach.

The environmental and multi-sectoral challenges faced by small islands requires consideration of sustainability issues. The sustainability challenges in these regions involve in particular the achievement of a greater autonomy through the development of local resources. This is a complex system that encompasses interconnections between the resources available and the land use. In this article we focus on the study of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus, and propose an integrated and systemic approach to do so. Our contribution consists in studying food system sustainability of small islands by exploring the reciprocal influences between the valorization of local WEF resources and land use competition for various integrated WEF scenarios. Additionally, we integrate dietary behaviors and demonstrate their close interlinking with land use practices, and thus their impact on the potential for transitioning towards a more sustainable food system. To achieve this, we present a generic combined Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and robust optimization model. This model is then applied to Reunion island using collected real data. Our approach aims to assist local policymakers, at the island scale, by constructing insightful scenarios to facilitate informed decision-making. Our results highlight the need to save land space when developing local resources through effective land use management policies combined with a shift in food practices. This shift would imply in particular, to convert some of the sugarcane areas into subsistence farming. Furthermore, the results emphasize the importance of transitioning consumption practices under various integrated WEF scenarios, showcasing our model as an insightful decision-support tool.

The impacts of altering biodiversity to the Water–Energy–Food nexus: case study North Euboea, Greece

The impacts of altering biodiversity to the Water–Energy–Food nexus: case study North Euboea, Greece

Sustainability of the Linkages Between Water–Energy–Food Resources Based on Structural Equation Modeling Under Changing Climate: A Case Study of Narok County (Kenya) and Vhembe District Municipality (South Africa)

Sustainability of the Linkages Between Water–Energy–Food Resources Based on Structural Equation Modeling Under Changing Climate: A Case Study of Narok County (Kenya) and Vhembe District Municipality (South Africa)

Overcoming modeling and computational complexity challenges in food–energy–water nexus optimization

The food–energy–water nexus (FEWN) postulates that sustainable decision-making regarding the interconnected resources food, energy and water must consider all involved resources holistically. Due to its multi-scale complexity, modeling challenges and computational intractability regarding the interconnected FEWN optimization remain. To overcome these challenges, this work proposes employing surrogate models based on data-driven and model optimization techniques, while quantifying the introduced errors due to both the selected approximation and optimization methods. In turn, we derive a mixed-integer linear FEWN planning and scheduling optimization model based on a greenhouse farming, a renewable energy and a reverse osmosis desalination water supply system, which is initially computationally intractable. This computational complexity is first discussed and overcome for the energy–water nexus supply system, before solving the complete FEWN supply system by utilizing strategies such as relaxation, modularization and convex hull reformulation.

Identifying the Complexity of the Food-Energy-Water Nexus Based on Emergy Analysis in Crop Production Systems of China

To elucidate the food-energy-water (FEW) nexus, the paper proposes a framework for multifunctional development objectives within the context of CPSs, integrating emergy analysis and the coupled coordination model. The article’s primary focus is on the utilization of blue and green water in the cultivation of a variety of food crops and the acquisition of purchased energy. The paper was evaluated according to three key indicators: stability, development, and sustainability. Furthermore, a quantitative evaluation of the trade-offs among the FEW nexus and its constituent sub-nexuses was conducted over the period from 2000 to 2022. The study revealed that China has witnessed an expansion in its total CPS inputs, with renewable inputs accounting for 32.89% and an average annual input-output ratio of 37.98%. The annual emergy values for food, energy, and water resources were 6.85 × 1023 Sej, 1.43 × 1023 Sej, and 7.91 × 1022 Sej, respectively. The annual growth rates were 2.16%, 2.11%, and 0.77%, respectively. The CPS exhibits an average proportion of green and blue water resources of 64.37% and 35.63%, respectively. The coupling coordination of the FEW nexus demonstrates a transition between years from mild dysfunctional recession to quality coordinated development, with the coordinated use of FEW resources increasing for maize, largely maintained for rice, and decreasing for wheat, soybean, and potato. The objective of this study is to provide differentiated strategies for regional food conservation and sustainable development worldwide.

Assessing the Impacts of Nature-Based Solutions on Ecosystem Services: A Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus Approach in the Nima River Sub-Basin (Colombia)

Forest ecosystem services are critical for maintaining ecological balance and supporting human well-being from different perspectives. However, rapid land use changes driven by agricultural expansion, urbanization, and industrial activities have significantly altered forest ecosystems, degrading the services they provide. We here conduct an ecosystem service assessment through biophysical and economic estimates for a multipurpose Andean water sub-basin in western Colombia. We compare a business as usual (BAU) with a forest nature-based solution (NbS) scenario focused on forest landscape restoration. The research employed participatory methods for the NbS selection and economic valuation techniques to evaluate water flow regulation, water provisioning, water purification, and food provisioning services. Results show that the NbS scenario yielded a net positive economic impact across most evaluated ecosystem services, with notable trade-offs. Specifically, the NbS scenario increased water retention by 2.9% compared to BAU. Water flow regulation demonstrated the most substantial economic benefit, increasing by EUR 11.39 million/year in the NbS scenario. On the other hand, the food provisioning service presented a reduction of EUR 3.2 million/year in the NbS scenario. These findings highlight the potential of forest-based NbS to address the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus challenges. The study’s outcomes provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, supporting the development of Payment for Ecosystem Services schemes and integrating ecosystem service valuation into land use planning and decision-making processes.

Cooling Effectiveness of the Sustainable Cooling Solution for Cattle: Case Study in Poland

Recently, the dairy sector has been ever more affected by global warming. This study aimed to test a novel conductive cooling system for cattle that was successfully implemented and evaluated under summer thermally challenging weather conditions in Poland. The system consists mainly of the chiller, tank, and chilled water-driven mattress, designed to prioritize animal well-being. The experimental evaluation was carried out on three Friesian dry cows, housed on different types of bedding—commercial water mattress, straw, and cooling water mattress—and supplied with water at 10 °C (day) and 16 °C (night). The cooling water mattress’ surface temperature was twice as low as that of the commercial water mattress. The animal’s thermal comfort was assessed with physiological and behavioral reactions. The cooling effect on animals’ bodies was demonstrated with a lower reticulorumen temperature of the cooled cow (p < 0.05) than the reference ones. The local effect of cooling was proved with an 8 °C-lower skin temperature after the cow’s resting period. The presented study opens a new research direction toward dairy cattle’s welfare, sustainability, and the food–energy–water nexus, based on potential energy and water savings.

Nexus Framing of Sustainability Issues: Feasibility, Synergies, and Trade-Offs in Terms of Water-Energy-Food

Multisectoral integration has been at the core of sustainability debates and is continuously rearticulated through different concepts. Following the 2007–2008 financial, food, and energy crises, a new concept, the water–energy–food nexus, gained prominence to identify trade-offs and synergies between water, energy, and food systems and guide the development of cross-sectoral policies. The nexus is essentially a systems-based perspective that explicitly recognizes these three systems as both interconnected and interdependent, and thus integrated approaches are required that move beyond sectoral, policy, and disciplinary silos. The nexus is also a political process, one in which the interplay of different types of power, as well as the actors wielding them, is not just a procedurally technical one. This tension between the nexus as a complex system and the nexus as a political process constitutes the core debating idea, in terms of feasibility, methods, and theory, in this article.

Coupling Relationships and Driving Mechanisms of Water–Energy–Food in China from the Perspective of Supply and Demand Security

The rapid increase in population and economy, coupled with accelerated urbanization, is placing immense pressure on the water–energy–food (WEF) system. In this context, the water–energy–food nexus framework has emerged, recognizing the interdependencies and interactions among water, energy, and food systems, with the aim of optimizing resource management through cross-sectoral collaboration to promote sustainable development. Understanding the spatio-temporal differentiation patterns of the WEF nexus and elucidating the driving mechanisms behind changes in their coupling relationships is essential. This knowledge is crucial for ensuring the security of each subsystem and enhancing the overall sustainability of interconnected systems through coordinated efforts. To address these challenges, this study first established evaluation indicators for water, energy, and food security to quantify their levels and spatio-temporal dynamics. Subsequently, the degrees of coupling coordination within the WEF nexus were calculated. Finally, the WEF nexus’s spatial correlations were analyzed by using a spatial autocorrelation model. Spatial econometric models then identified key factors affecting its coordination. The results revealed significant spatial heterogeneity in water, energy, and food security across mainland China’s provinces. From 2002 to 2022, water security improved substantially in 87% of the provinces, while energy security began to improve in the eastern regions following a phase of high consumption. Food security saw significant enhancements, particularly in Inner Mongolia and the northeastern provinces. The overall coupling coordination of the WEF nexus improved across 30 provinces, progressing toward primary coordination. However, Henan and Anhui provinces experienced fluctuations in WEF nexus coordination. Spatial correlation analysis showed upward trends and increased clustering in WEF nexus coordination. Factors such as economic development and population positively influenced coordination, while economic agglomeration, education, and effective irrigation area had negative effects. This study elucidates the complex interconnections and key influencing factors within the WEF nexus, providing a reference framework and practical recommendations for equitable resource management.

Snow runoff modelling in the upper Indus River Basin and its implication to energy water food nexus

Pakistan's hydropower sector depends heavily on glacier and snowmelt water that originates from the Upper Indus Basin (UIB). It is expected that climate change may adversely affect future hydropower generation capacity as a result of fluctuations in the magnitude, seasonality and hydrological extremes of the Indus River flow. This study employed the Degree-Day Snowmelt Runoff Model alongside the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer MODIS and daily ground-based hydro-meteorological data to model the snowmelt runoff response in the UIB. The results indicated a significant increase in the annual and seasonal runoff under both RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, suggesting more water availability for hydropower and irrigation. By the end of the century, annual river flow is projected to increase by 28 % to 69 % under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 climate scenarios. Consequently, rise in annual river flow is expected to increase the electricity generation capacity of future hydropower projects by 93 % to 167 % under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively. The construction of robust multipurpose dams may potentially reduce flood risks in downstream areas during peak flows, while also supplying water for hydropower generation and irrigation during low flows. This, in turn, may enhance the resilience of both the hydropower and agriculture sectors in the face of climate change.

The Coupling Coordination Degree and Its Driving Factors for Water–Energy–Food Resources in the Yellow River Irrigation Area of Shandong Province

Water resources, energy, and food are essential for the development of society, and they are strongly interdependent. The coupling and coordination relationships of the water–energy–food (WEF) system are important for regional resource security and high-quality development. The Yellow River Irrigation Area in Shandong Province, China, is a grain production base and has a substantial impact on national food security. To examine the water, energy, and food subsystem dynamics in this area, an evaluation system for the WEF system was established. A comprehensive weighting method based on game theory was employed to determine index weights. TOPSIS was used to assess the development level of the WEF system. A coupling coordination degree model was used to analyze the evolution of the coupling coordination degree of the WEF system from 2000 to 2020, and a GWR model was constructed to explore the spatial heterogeneity of its driving factors. The findings indicated that the development level of the WEF system in the study area was moderate, with a gradual upward trend. The coupling coordination degree fluctuated between 0.62 and 0.739. The GWR model revealed that temperature had an overall negative effect on the coupling coordination degree, with the greatest impact on the central irrigation area; the slope and NDVI had a negative effect, with increasing intensity from the southwest to the northeast; and rainfall had an overall positive effect, with the greatest impact on the irrigation area near the estuary in the northeast. Overall, the building area ratio had a negative effect on the coupling coordination degree, with exceptions in some areas. These research outcomes provide theoretical support for sustainable agricultural development in the Yellow River irrigation areas of Shandong Province and methodological reference data for studying collaborative resource utilization in irrigation regions.

Examining Trends in the Food–Energy–Water Security Nexus and Its Relationships with Human Development, Population Growth, and Conflict

Abundant and accessible food, energy, and water are essential to the functioning of human societies and individual health and happiness. However, growing populations, intensifying climate change, and violent instability undermine resource security. We used data from the recently updated Pardee RAND Food–Energy–Water (FEW) Index and the INFORM risk model to assess global and regional trends in resource security and relationships with the Human Development Index (HDI), internal conflict risk, and population growth. Our analysis finds that resource security has modestly improved with an average global FEW Index improvement of 2.61%, but this figure masks significant regional disparities, with several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia regressing in terms of food and water security. We observe continued high correlations between HDI and the FEW Index (0.8664) and also find the FEW Index to be highly correlated with national income per capita (0.6547). We also find that at a global level, there is a significant negative association between trends in the FEW Index and population growth (−0.4724) during the study period, suggesting that a growing proportion of the global population is experiencing resource insecurity. Finally, our analysis suggests that several resource-insecure countries are also conflict-prone and these nations tended to do worse over the study period than similarly resource-insecure states that were internally stable.

Evaluation and prediction of water-energy-food nexus under land use changes in the Yellow River Basin, China

Scientific understanding of the changes in the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus is crucial for regional development. As the spatial foundation of human activities, land use plays a pivotal role in shaping WEF nexus relations. However, little research has fully explored the impacts of land use changes within the WEF nexus from the human activities perspective. In this study, a novel theoretical framework was developed according to the logic flow “human activities-land use–WEF nexus”. Based on the LUI, the WEF score, and the ICCD between land use changes and WEF, the WEF score of various scenarios was forecasted using the ARIMA model. The findings revealed the various land use structures and LUI among nine provinces, with more intensive land use in lower reaches. During two decades, a discernible increase in both WEF system scores and ICCD was found in YRB. The WEF scores of all provinces had surpassed the threshold of 0.3 for two decades, and Inner Mongolia grew the fastest from 0.223 to 0.524. The ICCD of nine provinces evolved with fluctuations, from an imminent unbalanced or near coordination level in 2000 to primary coordination or moderate coordination level in 2020. The optimal land use scenarios varied across provinces, attributed to factors such as resource and environmental constraints (Qinghai and Sichuan), specialized agriculture or industry (Gansu, Ningxia, and Inner Mongolia), differentiated zonal characteristics (Shaanxi and Shanxi), and rapid industrialization and urbanization (Henan and Shandong). To attain sustainable development within the YRB, it is imperative to formulate differentiated land use strategies in each province, and universal strategies should also be established for each land use type.

Response of remote sensing-based climatic indicators to drought conditions during El Niño events and implications for water–food–energy nexus

ABSTRACT Hydrometeorological extremes, such as droughts, are a major threat to society and can have extensive damaging effects. In this study, daily rainfall estimates from the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) quasi-global rainfall dataset were used to calculate the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) for the assessment of meteorological drought in Southern Province, Zambia. Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) imagery (250 m resolution) from MODIS-Terra, for the period 2000–2021, were used to derive the Standardised Vegetation Index (SVI) in order to assess agricultural drought. The Mann–Kendall trend test and Sen's slope were used to determine the spatial-temporal trends and their magnitudes. This study demonstrated that the droughts of the Southern Province of Zambia can be classified into two categories: regressive and aggressive droughts. Regressive droughts are associated with moderate to strong El Niño events. Although El Niño events undermine water security, regressive droughts tend to result in resilient vegetation owing to residue soil moisture. In contrast, aggressive droughts are characterised by an increase in drought intensity as the season progresses. Water security prospects in the region should focus on climate-smart approaches, such as managed aquifer recharge, to ensure water availability even under extreme drought conditions.

System dynamic model of water, energy and food nexus for policy implementation

In this study, a spatiotemporal disaggregated simulation model was developed based on water–food–energy (WFE) nexus approach to assess water and food supply security considering ecosystem provisioning services. The main components of the developed model in this study (SD-WFE model) are population, water, agriculture, and energy modules. The model, which was developed using system dynamics (SD) approach, was utilized to simulate effectiveness of sectoral municipal, industrial, and agricultural water and energy consumption management and environmental protection policies in improving ecosystem provisioning services during a 20-year period. Through sensitivity analysis utilizing the Monte Carlo model, the study addresses the formulation of sustainable water resource policies across four main categories: water demand management, water supply management, food resource management, and energy resource demand management. Additionally, it explores the integration of policies within an optimal framework. The simulation of proposed solutions revealed that a combination of water demand management and food resource management yielded the most promising outcome. Specifically, the recommended solution entails enhancing water irrigation efficiency by 18% through the expansion of pressurized irrigation network coverage, adjusting cropping patterns by 14%, reducing agricultural product losses by 8% via improved food supply management, minimizing food demand by 9% due to reduced food consumption losses, and achieving an annual 10% increase in crop performance. These selected policies form the foundation for sustainable water resource management strategies.

Research on the synergy of the water–energy–food composite system in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region

ABSTRACT Water, energy, and food are interdependent and mutually restrictive, and changes in any one resource may have an impact on the others. In order to promote the sustainable utilization of resources, it is important to study the synergy of the water–energy–food composite system (WEFCS). Taking the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region as an example, this study adopts the composite system synergy degree model to quantitatively measure the synergy degree of WEFCS from 2011 to 2021, then constructs an evolutionary model to identify the interactions between the subsystems, and finally analyzes the interactions dynamically by using the panel vector autoregression model. The results show that the WEFCS synergy level in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region is generally basic and shows low stability during the study period. Regional subsystems are more dependent than collaborative or competitive. Moreover, the regional water subsystem has a short-term positive impact on the energy subsystem, the energy subsystem has a short-term negative impact on the food subsystem, and the food subsystem has a delayed and complex influence on the water and energy subsystems, with the water subsystem being particularly affected. This study provides a decision-making basis for policymakers to optimize resource allocation.