Agriculture, biofuels and watersheds in the waterenergy- food nexus: governance challenges at local and global scales

• Authors: Joseph T. Mwale , Alisher Mirzabaev
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Agricultural land use in watersheds for food and biofuels production presents several challenges within the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus at the local and global scales. Firstly, high global energy prices may lead to increasing demand for bio-energy crops, thereby intensifying the competition for arable land and water with food crops. There may be potential net welfare benefits from bio-energy development in terms of poverty reduction, higher agricultural household incomes, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. However, so far, there has been little quantitative research evaluating and communicating the nexus synergies and trade-offs. Another challenge is that differentiation of gender roles in the nexus trade-offs and synergies is mostly overlooked. This results in marginalisation of mostly the female gender in land use decisions. Therefore, there is a need for quantitative evidence-based research and incentive frameworks for governing the nexus to ensure the continuity and progress in global and local food supply and bio-energy development, while maintaining the sustainability of the watershed ecological services.

Keywords

EN

agriculture; biofuels; watersheds; waterenergy- food nexus

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Change and Adaptation in Socio-Ecological Systems
• Year: 2015
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 1

Dates

published

2015-01-01

received

2014-06-27

accepted

2015-09-30

online

2015-12-17

Contributors

author

Joseph T. Mwale

• Junior Lecturer, Mulungushi University, School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 80415, Great North Rd. Kabwe 10101, Zambia

author

Alisher Mirzabaev

• University of Bonn, Centre for Development Research, Walter-Flex-Str.3, 53113 Bonn; Germany

References

• [1] Mirzabaev, A. (2014). “Bio-energy in the Nexus: Challenges and Opportunities for Food Security and Poverty Reduction”. Centre for Development Research, ZEF, Bonn, Germany.
• [2] Müller, M. (2014). “Impact of Increasing World-Market prices for Oilseeds on West African Agriculture”. Centre for Development Research, ZEF, Bonn, Germany.
• [3] Villamor, G.B. (2014). “Local actors and gender perspectives in dealing with water, food and energy trade-offs: a case from Jambi, Indonesia”. Centre for Development Research, ZEF, Bonn, Germany.
• [4] Osuna, V.R. (2014). “Managing Water, Environment, Food trade-offs in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A case study. Centre for Development Research, Z

Identifiers

DOI

10.1515/cass-2015-0012