Sustainable and integrated management of water, energy, food, and ecosystems requires a coordinated and cross-sectoral approach to manage trade-offs and maximize synergies among these deeply interconnected resources. This line of thinking and action is called the water-energy-food-ecosystem (WEFE) nexus approach. This academic course provides an overview of WEFE nexus concepts, issues, and approaches to develop the capacities of graduate students studying in any WEFE or WEFE-adjacent sector. The aim is to prepare future leaders in this area to foster the integrated, equitable, and sustainable management of WEFE resources. This course was co-developed under the umbrella of the CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains by the Center for Water Resources Studies (CWRS), Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, in partnership with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). It includes theory as well as practical applications and interactive elements.

The agro-export boom is threatening the sustainability of water resources in many regions around the world. This is the case of the Ica valley in Peru, where in the last decades traditional agriculture has been replaced by big agricultural businesses to meet the growing international food demand. This has led to increasing land concentration by large exporting farms jointly with an increase in groundwater exploitation for irrigation. In this paper, we analyze the effect of land concentration, exporting crop specialization and irrigation intensity on groundwater sustainability using an econometric approach. Our findings highlighted an inverse relation between groundwater sustainability in terms of water withdrawal in the Ica Valley and the intensity of irrigation (drip technology), commodity specialization and concentration of large farms. More research is needed to fully understand the impacts of this very important economic activity on Peru’s natural resources, to ensure its sustainability in the long term. | This research was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) through the NEXT-AG project (Nexus thinking for sustainable agricultural development in Andean countries) (NE/R015759/1). | World Development

A workshop for the Tana-Beles Sub-basin (upper Blue Nile Basin), organized by IWMI, presented NEXUS Gains research results for enhancing the resilience of water–energy–food–ecosystems (WEFE) sectors through implementing integrated water storage.

Water security is a crucial element in the realm of agricultural development, significantly impacting the welfare of farmers and stakeholders throughout the agricultural supply chain. However, the connection between agricultural water security and food security has been relatively understudied. This research seeks to fill this gap by examining the influence of agricultural water security on the food security of smallholder farm households in Ghana. Using principal component analysis, the study classified farmers into two groups: those considered agriculturally water-secure (48.56%) and those agriculturally water-insecure (51.44%), with a threshold set at the 40th percentile. Employing an endogenous treatmenteffect ordered probit model, the research delved into the impact of water security on household food security among smallholder farmers. The analysis revealed several critical factors influencing agricultural water security, including gender, land ownership, non-farm income, access to extension services, credit availability, membership in farmer-based organizations (FBOs), adoption of irrigation, and information sources like NGOs and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA). These factors were identified as positively contributing to water security. Conversely, factors such as age, total livestock count, distance to water sources from the farm, and information obtained from fellow farmers hurt agricultural security. Concerning the effect of agricultural water security on food security, the study found that farmers achieving water security witnessed a significant 23% improvement in their food security status. This translated to reductions in mild food insecurity (by 0.8%), moderate food insecurity (by 6.1%), and severe food insecurity (by 17.8%). These findings underscore the importance of government and development partners' support for enhancing agricultural water security among smallholder farmers to improve overall food security.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'B Lotus';">Access to healthy and high-quality food is a fundamental challenge for consumers. This study aimed to assess consumer satisfaction regarding the quality and health of food. The research employed an applied approach for its purpose and utilized descriptive-analytical methods through surveys for data collection. The statistical population consisted of heads of urban and rural households in Behmai City, located in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad provinces, with a total of 380 samples selected using a multistage cluster sampling method with proportional allocation. The findings revealed that consumer satisfaction with food quality was generally low, while concerns about food safety were notably high among the majority of consumers across various socio-economic groups. Additionally, the research indicated no significant relationship between household economic and social variables and satisfaction levels regarding food quality and safety. Furthermore, the mean comparison test results demonstrated no substantial differences in consumer satisfaction with food quality and safety among different income, educational, and occupational groups. Overall, it appears that varied income groups express dissatisfaction with food quality and have considerable concerns about food safety.</span></p>

Abstract 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.

The excessive use of energy from fossil fuels, which corresponds to population, industrialisation, and unsustainable economic growth, is the cause of carbon dioxide production and climate change. The Water–Energy–Food (WEF) nexus is an applicable conceptual framework that helps manage the balance between human development and natural resource constraints, and it becomes a valuable tool to address the challenges of resource depletion and clean energy. This article aims to analyse the relationship between the WEF nexus and clean energy through a statistical analysis and a systematic review of knowledge on energy sustainability. The methodology involves the selection of bibliographic information databases such as Scopus and Web of Science (WoS), a statistical analysis, specifically the Scientometrics applied to the information obtained, and the identification of 179 scientific publications related to the study variables through a screening process called Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The interaction of green energy and sustainability with the WEF nexus has been approached mainly by developed countries such as China (10%), the United States (9.49%), India (7.26%), and Brazil (5.02%). The review of 55 scientific papers identified strategies that balance economic growth and environmental impact, applying clean energy systems (e.g., solar and wind), and the importance of adaptation to the subsystems of the WEF nexus. This study also highlights adaptability to climate change in rural and urban communities. Therefore, it is consistent with the four pillars of sustainable development (Economic: 7 papers, Environmental: 22, Social: 18, and Cultural: 8). This study highlights the following: (a) the importance of the use of renewable energy either in mixed systems and consumption, energy storage, and seeking energy efficiency in systems adapted to diverse environments and (b) the relevance of community participation in the decision-making process for the use of clean energy, such as a strategy for climate change adaptation.