p. 213-255 | Food security and water security in the Mediterranean are intrinsically linked and are facing similar challenges. Food security is threatened mainly by the high dependency of Mediterranean countries on food imports, making them vulnerable to external pressures such as volatile food prices. From a nutritional standpoint, the number of overweight and obese people has increased as a result of the traditional Mediterranean diet being abandoned. Water security has degenerated due to the deterioration of internal freshwater resources, both in terms of water quantity and quality, with a high dependency on external water resources, higher regional water footprints than the global average, increasing scarcity of renewable water resources, an increased number and capacity of dams exerting pressure on freshwater ecosystems, and a growing risk of conflicts between water users and countries. Access to water and sanitation remains a major challenge in the region. Territorial divisions separating coastal urban and remote rural areas are growing stronger, making isolated populations such as smallholder farmers particularly at risk of food and water insecurity. With climate change, precipitation is expected to decrease and temperatures to rise in the region, which will affect water supply (and thereby energy and food supply). It will also directly affect soil moisture and crop growth, thereby further increasing irrigation water needs. There are clear but difficult to measure interactions between the water, energy and agricultural sectors, as they are all interdependent, which calls for integrated policies and management. Agriculture being the largest water user in the region, further efforts need to be made to promote the use of non-conventional water resources. The conservation and restoration of Mediterranean agroecosystems is key to ensuring sustainable development. This requires better management of continuing arable land loss, land use intensification, and soil erosion and salinization. Integrated Water Resources Management and Water Demand Management (WDM) provide guidelines for achieving better water efficiency and reducing conflicts between users.

The agricultural community has a challenge of increasing food production by more than 70% to meet demand from the global population increase by the mid-21st century. Sustainable food production involves the sustained availability of resources, such as water and energy, to agriculture. The key challenges to sustainable food production are population increase, increasing demands for food, climate change, and climate variability, decreasing per capita land and water resources. To discuss more details on (a) the challenges for sustainable food production and (b) mitigation options available, a special issue on “Water Management for Sustainable Food Production” was assembled. The special issue focused on issues such as irrigation using brackish water, virtual water trade, allocation of water resources, consequences of excess precipitation on crop yields, strategies to increase water productivity, rainwater harvesting, irrigation water management, deficit irrigation, and fertilization, environmental and socio-economic impacts, and irrigation water quality. Articles covered several water-related issues across the U.S., Asia, Middle-East, Africa, and Pakistan for sustainable food production. The articles in the special issue highlight the substantial impacts on agricultural production, water availability, and water quality in the face of increasing demands for food and energy.

The agricultural community has a challenge of increasing food production by more than 70% to meet demand from the global population increase by the mid-21st century. Sustainable food production involves the sustained availability of resources, such as water and energy, to agriculture. The key challenges to sustainable food production are population increase, increasing demands for food, climate change, and climate variability, decreasing per capita land and water resources. To discuss more details on (a) the challenges for sustainable food production and (b) mitigation options available, a special issue on “Water Management for Sustainable Food Production” was assembled. The special issue focused on issues such as irrigation using brackish water, virtual water trade, allocation of water resources, consequences of excess precipitation on crop yields, strategies to increase water productivity, rainwater harvesting, irrigation water management, deficit irrigation, and fertilization, environmental and socio-economic impacts, and irrigation water quality. Articles covered several water-related issues across the U.S., Asia, Middle-East, Africa, and Pakistan for sustainable food production. The articles in the special issue highlight the substantial impacts on agricultural production, water availability, and water quality in the face of increasing demands for food and energy.

This Special Issue addresses topics on the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus along with other water-related topics, such as water resources, irrigation and drinking water supply systems, hydraulics and pollution. Several threats jeopardize freshwater availability and quality, energy and food availability. Integrated management approaches are absolutely necessary for pursuing sustainability. This Special Issue addresses various subjects and includes 29 peer-reviewed papers that have been grouped into the following categories: the WEF nexus, water resources and irrigation systems, drinking water supply systems, hydraulics and pollution. Some of them were selected from the Third Efficient Water Systems (EWaS) International Conference, entitled “Insights on the Water–Energy–Food Nexus,” after a thorough content update. Summaries of the papers are briefly presented in this Editorial.

This Special Issue addresses topics on the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus along with other water-related topics, such as water resources, irrigation and drinking water supply systems, hydraulics and pollution. Several threats jeopardize freshwater availability and quality, energy and food availability. Integrated management approaches are absolutely necessary for pursuing sustainability. This Special Issue addresses various subjects and includes 29 peer-reviewed papers that have been grouped into the following categories: the WEF nexus, water resources and irrigation systems, drinking water supply systems, hydraulics and pollution. Some of them were selected from the Third Efficient Water Systems (EWaS) International Conference, entitled “Insights on the Water–Energy–Food Nexus,” after a thorough content update. Summaries of the papers are briefly presented in this Editorial.

The right to water emerged in the nineties primarily as the right to domestic water for drinking, washing and cooking, and was closely related to the right to sanitation, both of which are seen as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living. This study examines the question of the right to water for food and agriculture and asks whether such a right can be found in the right to water, or whether it is more appropriate to examine the right to adequate food for that purpose. Seeking inspiration from the right to adequate food and from other fields of international law, the study explores the content of the right to water for food and agriculture and then considers its implications for water law. Recognizing a human right to water – for drinking and household needs as well as for growing food – has implications for water allocation and sets limits to the extent that water can be allocated for other uses. In addition, it entails the respect for procedural rights and attention to important principles, such as the principle of non-discrimination and the rights of indigenous peoples.

Agricultural production is the main consumer of water. Future population growth, income growth, and dietary shifts are expected to increase demand for water. The paper presents a brief review of the water footprint of crop production and the sustainability of the blue water footprint. The estimated global consumptive (green plus blue) water footprint ranges from 5938 to 8508 km³/year. The water footprint is projected to increase by as much as 22% due to climate change and land use change by 2090. Approximately 57% of the global blue water footprint is shown to violate the environmental flow requirements. This calls for action to improve the sustainability of water and protect ecosystems that depend on it. Some of the measures include increasing water productivity, setting benchmarks, setting caps on the water footprint per river basin, shifting the diets to food items with low water requirements, and reducing food waste.

There is a growing recognition of the interdependencies among the supply systems that rely upon food, water and energy. Billions of people lack safe and sufficient access to these systems, coupled with a rapidly growing global demand and increasing resource constraints. Modeling frameworks are considered one of the few means available to understand the complex interrelationships among the sectors, however development of nexus related frameworks has been limited. We describe three open-source models well known in their respective domains (i.e. TerrSysMP, WOFOST and SWAT) where components of each if combined could help decision-makers address the nexus issue. We propose as a first step the development of simple workflows utilizing essential variables and addressing components of the above-mentioned models which can act as building-blocks to be used ultimately in a comprehensive nexus model framework. The outputs of the workflows and the model framework are designed to address the SDGs.

In India, water scarcity is undoubtedly a long-standing issue considering its use for agriculture as well as for basic needs. Agricultural sector is responsible for 78% of water use in the country and demand for the sector will increase further with increasing population and transformation of diets. This article highlights issues is water-energy-food nexus and suggest technological and policy options for sustainable use of water. The high water foot prints of rice and wheat in traditional belts streamlines the much needed water availability based cropping pattern realignment across the zones. Technology assisted cultivation in the form of seed varieties or method of sowing or improved cultivation practices is advocated for long term sustainability. The higher irrigation efficiency sprinkler and drip irrigation systems and conservation agriculture, not only helps in reducing water footprints but also have potential to mitigate GHG emission. Management of postharvest food wastage will also play significant role in reducing environmental footprints.

It is imperative that there be consistent and unambiguous terminology when reporting on irrigation water use, and that the metrics of water productivity and economic benefits be clearly defined. We encourage our readers to study closely the following paper by our colleagues on the definitions and uses of various water-use indicators, along with their use in economic analyses.