Objectives

The workshop contributes to the Global Framework for Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG), which was launched during COP23 in 2017. It currently has thirty five partners from research institutions, think tank organizations, global partnerships, the United Nations and international agencies that work collectively on the issues of water scarcity.

The aim of the seminar in particular is to showcase the Water-Energy-Food Nexus-related work of the participating Italian research institutions and to discuss how this work can support progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 2 on Zero Hunger, Goal 6 on Water, Goal 7 on Energy, and Goal 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production.

During the discussion, researchers and practitioners will explore how Nexus-related research can become more relevant to the international development context.

Background

The concept of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus has featured prominently in the international debate on sustainable development and natural resources management. Particularly the research world was taken on the subject with man researchers and academics exploring the theoretical foundations of the concepts and analysing case studies of so-called Nexus interlinkages.

Very clearly, the Nexus concept describes some of the key challenges of our age: population growth, rapid urbanization, changing diets and economic development are just some of the factors driving increased demand for water, energy and food. Feeding a global population, expected to reach 9.8 billion people by 2050, will require a 50 percent increase in food production (compared to 2012 levels). Already agriculture is the largest consumer of the world's freshwater resources, accounting for 70 percent of total global water withdrawals. And more than one-quarter of the energy used globally is expended on food production and supply. And estimated 30 percent of global energy consumption occurs along food supply chains.

The Water-Energy- Food Nexus explores the complex interrelationships between water, energy and food systems. At the heart of this is the recognition that these different resources systems are interdependent: demand for one resource can drive demand for another, and similarly, the cost of one resource can determine the efficiency of production of the others.

Using water to irrigate crops might promote food production, but it can also reduce river flows and hydropower potential. Using water to irrigate bioenergy crops can provide cheap energy and at the same time, increases water withdrawals and may decrease water and land resources available for production. Converting dryland in irrigated areas can increase food production, but may also result in greater energy uses.

There already are many good practice examples as well as tools and methods to analysing these interdependencies. Some of these solutions – typically at pilot scale - will be showcased during this seminar by CREA, ENEA and CNR. During the follow-up discussions, we will explore how these solutions can support the development of long-term sustainable solution that can ensure food security by effectively managing water and using clean energy efficiently, and we will identify opportunities to adjust, elaborate and develop integrated Nexus approaches to soil management, crops improvement, water management and recovery, renewable energy, irrigation systems, water storage, energy efficiency.