Water-energy-food nexus under the spotlight

Abstract

Delegates from various institutions met late last year to strengthen the South African research agenda around the interconnections between water, energy and food. While the relationships between these three vital commodities are increasingly being recognised their interdependence is not always understood. In order to grow South African knowledge in this arena the Water Research Commission created a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Lighthouse or flagship research programme around this issue. The Commission is currently funding 22 projects in this domain. The aim of the dialogue was to raise the profile of the WRC’s WEF nexus Lighthouse and to highlight the direction the WRC is taking on this issue; as well as to highlight current activities at the project level. Two important studies were discussed at the dialogue, namely the study focusing on water use of strategic biofuel crops; and the study investigating trade-offs between water use efficiency and renewable energy options for South Africa.

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