Water, energy, and food security are of critical concern as rising population growth and rapid urbanization place greater pressure on our natural resources. The trade of ‘virtual water’ through agricultural products and its appropriation through foreign direct investment (FDI) in food production have emerged as potential strategies for water-scarce countries seeking food security. In Saudi Arabia, where domestic agricultural enterprise remains a state priority despite extreme water scarcity, a shift to overseas food production to meet domestic demand could have significant implications for water and energy use as well as local labor markets. This study evaluates the growing internationalization of food production in water-scarce countries using the case of Saudi Arabia as a microcosm to illustrate the tradeoffs in resource consumption associated with crop selection and farming practices. This analysis indicates that the implications of different types of large-scale agribusiness must be more explicitly accounted for in government policy given the non-renewable nature of groundwater and energy. This work also quantifies the increase in the import of virtual water through conventional trade, which has significant potential to minimize groundwater pumping for food production in arid environments. A brief, complementary assessment of the growing role of FDI shows that further analysis is needed to ascertain the long-term resource impacts of direct investment in overseas enterprise and to minimize potentially negative impacts on water access and rural livelihoods in target nations. Active engagement of local communities and/or more holistic investment in infrastructure or improving agricultural productivity could also help avoid the potential for conflict and contribute towards long-term sustainability.

The food processing industry is one of the largest consumers of energy and water in the manufacturing sector. It is vital that conservation measures are taken to reduce the use of electricity, fuel, and water for producers to have long-term, sustainable growth. The Pacific Northwest (PNW) region includes some the largest food processers in the United States, particularly with products such as fruit and vegetable preserves, apples products, potato products, and milk. Energy and water consumption in PNW food processing facilities are quantified as well as techniques to increase efficiency and reduce waste. Mechanical drive systems and refrigeration consumes the most electricity in the industry and the implementation of energy management plans has the largest potential to save electricity in PNW facilities. Heating and cooling process needs are the largest consumers of energy in the food processing industry. Implementing cogeneration/trigeneration technology, replacing of older equipment, capturing waste heat, and reusing wastewater can have significant impacts on both energy and water consumption. Novel, emerging technologies such as membrane separation, high-pressure processing, microwave assist, ultrasound, pulsed high electric fields, ozone, and hydrogen/electricity generation have significant potential to benefit the food processing industry by increasing efficiency and allowing companies to stay competitive in an industry where sustainable practices are becoming increasingly important to the public.

The purpose of the study is to assess whether Corporate Social Responsibility regarding water is considered relevant for sustainability in companies related to agriculture in South Africa, considering that their impact directly influences public access to water. To accomplish this purpose, a qualitative approach was developed through the study of the 22 existing companies from the agriculture sector, food and beverages, forest and paper production, and Tobacco, which published their last integrated report within the Global Reporting Initiative framework. A thematic content analysis was carried out, involving the analysis of the written sustainability reports. For data analyses, ATLAS.ti 7.1 software was used to match the main aspects related to water management. Pragmatic advice for practitioners derives from the research results, considering that Corporate Social Responsibility in general—and sustainable water management in particular—represents an opportunity for companies to get competitive advantages in the market. The study also determines the best practices in the field in South Africa with benchmarking purposes.

The food and beverage industry is one of the most water intensive industries. Therefore, an effective and efficient water management, based on eco-system related indicators, is crucial. This study analyzes the connection between indicators that address sustainable water management as a subgroup of ecosystem management and the general corporate social performance of firms. The study explores which water eco-system indicators are used in the food and beverage industry to assess corporate water risk management. Secondly, we analyzed the relationship between corporate water risk management and overall corporate social performance. Based on an analysis of 61 firms in the food and beverage sector, our results suggest that the most used indicators were Operations' Dependency on Freshwater, Change in Water Supply, Use of Water in the Facilities, Collaboration with Communities, and Water Risks for Agricultural Inputs. Indicators addressing an insideout perspective, such as Impacts on Communities were less often used. Furthermore, we found that the firms' general corporate social performance, measured by MSCI KLD-ESG indicators, is a good predictor for their use of water indicators. We conclude that the firms in the sample follow an outside-in approach for their water management activities and that water management is a significant part of corporate social responsibility activities in the sector because the business performance of food and beverage firms is interwoven with their water management activities.

Local-scale opportunities to address challenges of the water–food nexus in the developing world need to be embraced. Borehole-garden permaculture is advocated as one such opportunity that involves the sustainable use of groundwater spilt at hand-pump operated borehole supplies that is otherwise wasted. Spilt water may also pose health risks when accumulating as a stagnant pond. Rural village community use of this grey-water in permaculture projects to irrigate borehole gardens is proposed to primarily provide economic benefit whereby garden-produce revenue helps fund borehole water-point maintenance. Water-supply sustainability, increased food/nutrition security, health protection from malaria, and business opportunity benefits may also arise. Our goal has been to develop an, experience-based, framework for delivery of sustainable borehole-garden permaculture and associated benefits. This is based upon data collection and permaculture implementation across the rural Chikwawa District of Malawi during 2009–17. We use, stakeholder interviews to identify issues influencing uptake, gathering of stagnant pond occurrence data to estimate amelioration opportunity, quantification of permaculture profitability to validate economic potential, and critical assessment of recent permaculture uptake to identify continuing problems. Permaculture was implemented at 123 sites representing 6% of District water points, rising to 26% local area coverage. Most implementations were at, or near, newly drilled community-supply boreholes; hence, amelioration of prevalent stagnant ponds elsewhere remains a concern. The envisaged benefits of permaculture were manifest and early data affirm projected garden profitability and spin-off benefits of water-point banking and community micro-loan access. However, a diversity of technical, economic, social and governance issues were found to influence uptake and performance. Example issues include greater need for improved bespoke garden design input, on-going project performance assessment, and coordinated involvement of multi-sector governmental-development bodies to underpin the integrated natural-resource management required. The developed framework aims to manage the identified issues and requires the concerted action of all stakeholders. Based on the probable ubiquity of underlying issues, the framework is expected to be generalizable to the wider developing world. However, this particular application of permaculture represents a fraction of its greater potential opportunity for rural communities that should be explored.

Freshwater scarcity is recognized as a major environmental concern at the center of international debates. To tackle this issue, the concept of water footprint as a measure to address the potential impacts of water use emerged, attracting the interest of businesses worldwide. Currently, two references exist to assess the water footprint of a product, process, or organization: the water footprint network and ISO 14046. The objective of this paper is to verify whether the application of these two methodologies to the same case study gives consistent results: 1) in the evaluation of different alternatives in terms of identification of water-related hotspots (consumptive and degradative use) and 2) in the identification of the alternative that presents better performance related to water.The two methodologies were applied to a tomato sauce produced in the US that was undergoing a redesign process that involved different packaging alternatives. The results of the study confirmed that the two methodologies provide consistent results in terms of hotspot analysis and decisions among alternatives with reference to consumptive water use; however, the results related to degradative use are not always consistent. Considering this finding, it is important for companies to undertake a comprehensive assessment before making decisions and to understand the reasoning behind the methods and the objective of the indicators used in the assessments.

Fresh water and arable land are essential for agricultural production and food processing. However, managing conflicting demands over water and land can be challenging for business leaders, environmentalists and other stakeholders. This paper characterizes these challenges as wicked problems. Wicked problems are ill-formed, fuzzy, and messy, because they involve many clients and decisions makers with conflicting values. They are also not solvable, but rather must be managed. How can agribusiness leaders effectively manage wicked problems, especially if they have little practice in doing so? This paper argues that a Community of Practice (CoP) and its tripartite elements of domain, community and practice can be effective in helping businesses manage wicked problems by focusing on the positive links between environmental stewardship and economic performance. Empirically, the paper examines three agribusinesses to assess the extent in which CoP is used as a strategy for sustainable water management.

Water management studies often overlook community diversity, different stakeholders’ values, and frames to claim water rights. Using a political-ecology approach, this article examines an irrigation system in Ecuador’s highlands via Fraser’s principles of justice (recognition, representation, redistribution). Large flower companies and indigenous smallholders frame their arguments differently to legitimize water allocation claims. Framing is effective when it resonates with other stakeholders’ values. Some unexpected findings are explained: most of the water is still used by large companies since communities took control; rules regarding water use differ greatly among sectors in the system; and small flower producers have been appearing recently.

In this work, the effects of refrigerator freezing method (RF), spiral tunnel freezing method (SF), and liquid nitrogen spray freezing method (LF) on water distribution, microstructure, retrogradation, and digestion properties of Liangpi are investigated. Results from SEM and water distribution show the starch gel structure of Liangpi after LF treatment is more continuous, and its A₂₁ content is higher, which are closer to fresh Liangpi, followed by SF and RF. XRD and FT‐IR data indicate that as the freezing rate increases, the relative crystallinity and R₁₀₄₇/₁₀₂₂ value of the samples decrease. This is consistent with the data obtained from texture properties. Texture properties of samples treat by LF and SF are closer to fresh Liangpi, especially the hardness index. The in vitro digestibility of Liangpi also shows the same trend. Therefore, the freezing method with a faster rate could inhibit the starch gel retrogradation, improve the texture properties of Liangpi, and guarantee the quality of Liangpi. However, considering the economics of enterprise production, the spiral tunnel freezing method is more suitable for the actual production of frozen Liangpi. The data obtained provide a theoretical guidance for the actual production of frozen Liangpi.

The Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus approach has an opportunity to create sustainable business solutions, especially in the agricultural sector. This report provides a clear understanding of challenges for the most promising and scalable solutions to the interconnected water, energy and food/feed/fiber problems, allowing combined co-optimization. Searching solutions for nexus challenges, a model based assessment of WEF nexus at global scale and a theoretical perspective of integrating economic and ecological objectives are presented. This study explores the opportunities for the global community to develop robust partnerships and cross sector collaboration to foster water security and increase resource use efficiency, particularly in agriculture and food industry, as part of corporate environmental and financial performance goals.