Achieving the objectives of sustainable development in water and agri-food systems requires the utilisation of decision-support tools in stakeholder-driven processes to construct and simulate various scenarios and evaluate the outcomes of associated policy interventions. While it is common practice to involve stakeholders in participatory modelling processes, their comprehensive documentation and the lessons learned remain scarce. In this paper, we share our experience of engaging stakeholders throughout the entire system dynamics modelling process. We draw on two projects implemented in the Volta River Basin, West Africa, to understand the dynamics of water and agri-food systems under changing environmental and socioeconomic conditions. We outline eight key insights and lessons as practical guides derived from each stage of the participatory modelling process, including the pre-workshop stage, problem definition, model conceptualization, simulation model formulation, model testing and verification, and policy design and evaluation. Our findings demonstrate that stakeholders can actively contribute to all phases of the system dynamics modelling process, including parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis, and numerical simulation experiments. However, we encountered notable challenges, including the time-intensive nature of the process, the struggle to reach a consensus on the modelled problem, and the difficulty of translating the conceptual model into a simulation model using stock and flow diagrams – all of which were addressed through a structured facilitation process. While the projects were anchored in the specific context of West Africa, the key lessons and insights highlighted have broader significance, particularly for researchers employing PSDM in regions characterised by multifaceted human-environmental systems and where stakeholder involvement is crucial for holistic understanding and effective policy interventions. This paper contributes practical guidance for future efforts with participatory modelling, particularly in regions worldwide grappling with sustainable development challenges in water and agri-food systems, and where stakeholder involvement is crucial for holistic understanding of the multiple challenges and for designing effective policy interventions.

Achieving the objectives of sustainable development in water and agri-food systems requires the utilisation of decision-support tools in stakeholder-driven processes to construct and simulate various scenarios and evaluate the outcomes of associated policy interventions. While it is common practice to involve stakeholders in participatory modelling processes, their comprehensive documentation and the lessons learned remain scarce. In this paper, we share our experience of engaging stakeholders throughout the entire system dynamics modelling process. We draw on two projects implemented in the Volta River Basin, West Africa, to understand the dynamics of water and agri-food systems under changing environmental and socioeconomic conditions. We outline eight key insights and lessons as practical guides derived from each stage of the participatory modelling process, including the pre-workshop stage, problem definition, model conceptualization, simulation model formulation, model testing and verification, and policy design and evaluation. Our findings demonstrate that stakeholders can actively contribute to all phases of the system dynamics modelling process, including parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis, and numerical simulation experiments. However, we encountered notable challenges, including the time-intensive nature of the process, the struggle to reach a consensus on the modelled problem, and the difficulty of translating the conceptual model into a simulation model using stock and flow diagrams – all of which were addressed through a structured facilitation process. While the projects were anchored in the specific context of West Africa, the key lessons and insights highlighted have broader significance, particularly for researchers employing PSDM in regions characterised by multifaceted human-environmental systems and where stakeholder involvement is crucial for holistic understanding and effective policy interventions. This paper contributes practical guidance for future efforts with participatory modelling, particularly in regions worldwide grappling with sustainable development challenges in water and agri-food systems, and where stakeholder involvement is crucial for holistic understanding of the multiple challenges and for designing effective policy interventions.

Infrastructure in river basins is essential to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 on zero hunger, SDG 6 on water and sanitation, and SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy. However, important tradeoffs and synergies need to be navigated across these goals as both water and resources for infrastructure investments are limited. In transboundary river basins, such tradeoffs can transcend countries, creating a complex, interconnected system of water-energy-food linkages. With increasing pressures on the Blue Nile’s water resources from population and economic growth and climate change, an analytical framework for joint planning of these essential human development goals at a fine temporal resolution and considering multi-national priorities can enhance the potential to achieve water, energy, and food security. In this study, we develop and apply a framework for water resources planning in the Blue Nile using four steps: (1) understanding the water-energy-food nexus management landscape through stakeholder engagement and literature review; (2) developing a detailed daily simulator that captures major nexus components and objectives at a fine temporal scale; (3) linking the simulator to an Artificial intelligence-based search algorithm to design efficient agricultural and dam operation portfolios considering national and sectoral priorities; and (4) presenting the results using interactive visualization tools to facilitate dialogue and support decisions. Our results identify efficient operation plans for large dams on the Blue Nile for alternative cropping patterns in expanded irrigation areas in Sudan that minimize tradeoffs across water, energy, and food objectives.

Infrastructure in river basins is essential to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 on zero hunger, SDG 6 on water and sanitation, and SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy. However, important tradeoffs and synergies need to be navigated across these goals as both water and resources for infrastructure investments are limited. In transboundary river basins, such tradeoffs can transcend countries, creating a complex, interconnected system of water-energy-food linkages. With increasing pressures on the Blue Nile’s water resources from population and economic growth and climate change, an analytical framework for joint planning of these essential human development goals at a fine temporal resolution and considering multi-national priorities can enhance the potential to achieve water, energy, and food security. In this study, we develop and apply a framework for water resources planning in the Blue Nile using four steps: (1) understanding the water-energy-food nexus management landscape through stakeholder engagement and literature review; (2) developing a detailed daily simulator that captures major nexus components and objectives at a fine temporal scale; (3) linking the simulator to an Artificial intelligence-based search algorithm to design efficient agricultural and dam operation portfolios considering national and sectoral priorities; and (4) presenting the results using interactive visualization tools to facilitate dialogue and support decisions. Our results identify efficient operation plans for large dams on the Blue Nile for alternative cropping patterns in expanded irrigation areas in Sudan that minimize tradeoffs across water, energy, and food objectives. | Natural Resources and Resilience (NRR); Transformation Strategies; Development Strategies and Governance (DSG)

La lenteja de agua (Lemna minor) está emergiendo como un ingrediente innovador en la alimentación animal, ofreciendo una fuente de proteína vegetal que puede complementar o reemplazar a las fuentes proteicas convencionales como la torta de soya y la harina de pescado. Por ello, a nivel mundial se viene desarrollando diversas investigaciones sobre su uso en la alimentación. Por su composición nutricional, esta planta se caracteriza por su perfil proteico, aminoacídico y fibroso altos, variando entre 30 y 45 % de proteína, además de su bajo contenido de grasas y carbohidratos, lo cual es influenciado directamente por el medio donde se cultiva y los nutrientes presentes en el agua con el uso o no de fertilizantes orgánicos, siendo así también una alternativa muy amigable y de bajo costo, siempre que la acumulación de metales pesados y componentes antinutritivos sean mínimas, logrando así la obtención de un insumo seguro para el ser humano, animales y el medio ambiente. Esta revisión aborda principalmente la composición nutricional de la lenteja de agua (Lemna minor) y los efectos al ser usado en la alimentación de algunas especies monogástricas.

Duckweed (Lemna minor) emerges as an innovative ingredient in animal feed, offering a vegetable protein source that can complement or replace conventional protein sources such as soybean cake and fishmeal. Therefore, worldwide research has been carried out on its use in food. By its nutritional composition, this plant is characterized by its high protein, amino acid and fibrous profile, varying between 30 and 45% protein, in addition to its low fat and carbohydrate content, which is directly influenced by the environment where it is grown and the nutrients present in the water with the use or not of organic fertilizers, being also a very friendly and low-cost alternative, provided that the minimum accumulation of heavy metals and anti-nutritional components is controlled, thus obtaining a safe input for humans, animals and the environment. This review mainly addresses the nutritional composition of duckweed (Lemna minor) and its effects in feeding some monogastric species. | La lenteja de agua (Lemna minor) está emergiendo como un ingrediente innovador en la alimentación animal, ofreciendo una fuente de proteína vegetal que puede complementar o reemplazar a las fuentes proteicas convencionales como la torta de soya y la harina de pescado. Por ello, a nivel mundial se viene desarrollando diversas investigaciones sobre su uso en la alimentación. Por su composición nutricional, esta planta se caracteriza por su perfil proteico, aminoacídico y fibroso altos, variando entre 30 y 45 % de proteína, además de su bajo contenido de grasas y carbohidratos, lo cual es influenciado directamente por el medio donde se cultiva y los nutrientes presentes en el agua con el uso o no de fertilizantes orgánicos, siendo así también una alternativa muy amigable y de bajo costo, siempre que la acumulación de metales pesados y componentes antinutritivos sean mínimas, logrando así la obtención de un insumo seguro para el ser humano, animales y el medio ambiente. Esta revisión aborda principalmente la composición nutricional de la lenteja de agua (Lemna minor) y los efectos al ser usado en la alimentación de algunas especies monogástricas. | A lentilha-d'água (Lemna minor) está a emergir como um ingrediente inovador na alimentação animal, oferecendo uma fonte de proteína vegetal que pode complementar ou substituir fontes de proteína convencionais, como a farinha de soja e a farinha de peixe. Por esta razão, a investigação sobre a sua utilização na alimentação animal está a ser levada a cabo em todo o mundo. Em termos de composição nutricional, esta planta caracteriza-se pelo seu elevado perfil de proteínas, aminoácidos e fibras, variando entre 30 e 45 % de proteínas, bem como pelo seu baixo teor de gorduras e hidratos de carbono, o que é diretamente influenciado pelo ambiente em que é cultivada e pelos nutrientes presentes na água, com ou sem a utilização de fertilizantes orgânicos. É também uma alternativa muito amigável e de baixo custo, desde que a acumulação de metais pesados e componentes anti-nutricionais seja mínima, conseguindo-se assim um contributo seguro para o homem, para os animais e para o ambiente. Esta revisão aborda principalmente a composição nutricional da lentilha d'água (Lemna minor) e os efeitos da sua utilização na alimentação de algumas espécies monogástricas.