Re-framing the decision context over trade-offs among ecosystem services and wellbeing in a major river basin where water resources are highly contested

Colloff, Matthew J.; Doody, Tanya M.; Overton, Ian; Dalton, James; Welling, Rebecca

doi:10.1007/s11625-018-0630-x

Cited by 19 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Implementation of the WEF nexus approach is still lagging, possibly due to a lack of supporting evidence and tools that can fully capture it (Leck et al 2015 , Liu et al 2017 , Galaitsi et al 2018 , McGrane et al 2019 ). Fortunately, simple tools such as sustainability polygons (spider-web diagram or radar chart) and integrated indices can be used to jointly compare multiple indicators across alternative options and scenarios, as well as systematically and quantitatively assess, evaluate, analyze, highlight, and visualize the synergies and trade-offs between them (Overton et al 2013 , Flammini et al 2014 , Colloff et al 2019 , FAO 2021b ). Sustainability polygons allow for an integrated graphic representation of multiple sustainability indicators through holistic visual summarization of sustainable competing alternative options (Hochman et al 2017 ).…”

Section: Conceptual Framework and Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable irrigation technologies: a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective towards achieving more crop per drop per joule per hectare

Taguta

Dirwai

Senzanje

et al. 2022

Environ. Res. Lett.

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Sustainable agricultural intensification requires irrigation methods and strategies to minimise yield penalties while optimising water, land and energy use efficiencies. We assessed, from a silo-based and integrated water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective, the performance of irrigation technologies in different agro-climatic regions. Secondary to this, we assessed the impact of adopting systematic approaches such as the WEF nexus on improving efficiency in irrigated agriculture through irrigation modernization. The evidence-based perspectives of silo-based performances individually considered the metrics of yield (Y), water use efficiency (WUE), and energy productivity (EP). The WEF nexus approach applied sustainability polygons to integrate the three metrics into a nexus index representing the holistic performance of the irrigation technologies. Silo-based performance in temperate regions suggests net gains for WUE (+1.10 kg.m-3) and Y (+6.29 ton.ha-1) when transitioning from furrow to sprinkler irrigation, with a net loss in EP (-3.82 ton.MJ-1). There is potential for net loss on EP (-3.33 ton.MJ-1) when transitioning from furrow to drip system in temperate regions. The best performance of irrigation technologies in dry regions in water, energy and food silos was achieved by sprinkler, drip and furrow irrigation systems, respectively. Thus, appraising irrigation technologies from a silos perspective promotes individual silos, which renders an unsustainable picture of the performance of irrigation systems. The integrative WEF nexus approach successfully highlighted the trade-offs and synergies in the nexus of water, energy and food in irrigated agriculture. Drip irrigation led all irrigation technologies in WEF nexus performance in dry (21.44 unit2), tropical (23.98 unit2), and temperate regions (47.28 unit2). Overall, the irrigation modernisation pathway to drip technology from either furrow or sprinkler systems improves irrigated agriculture's WEF nexus performance in all three regions for more crop per drop per joule per hectare under climate change. This has positive potential to influence the sustainability of planetary boundaries.

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Section: Conceptual Framework and Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable irrigation technologies: a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective towards achieving more crop per drop per joule per hectare

Taguta

Dirwai

Senzanje

et al. 2022

Environ. Res. Lett.

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“… 2 & 3 Multiple aspects to reconcile (social, conservation, etc.) Promote decision-support and other frameworks for landscape-level decisions (based on multifunctionality and conservation focus) F↔ES Multifaceted problem-solving and decision making is developed by Colloff et al ( 2019 ), including new ways to connect with the societal decision system. Applying scenario analysis, the results can be used to visualize trade-offs that affect livelihoods, human wellbeing, water resources & the environment.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Freshwater systems and ecosystem services: Challenges and chances for cross-fertilization of disciplines

Vári

Podschun

Erős

et al. 2021

Ambio

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Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened in the world, while providing numerous essential ecosystem services (ES) to humans. Despite their importance, research on freshwater ecosystem services is limited. Here, we examine how freshwater studies could help to advance ES research and vice versa. We summarize major knowledge gaps and suggest solutions focusing on science and policy in Europe. We found several features that are unique to freshwater ecosystems, but often disregarded in ES assessments. Insufficient transfer of knowledge towards stakeholders is also problematic. Knowledge transfer and implementation seems to be less effective towards South-east Europe. Focusing on the strengths of freshwater research regarding connectivity, across borders, involving multiple actors can help to improve ES research towards a more dynamic, landscape-level approach, which we believe can boost the implementation of the ES concept in freshwater policies. Bridging these gaps can contribute to achieve the ambitious targets of the EU’s Green Deal.

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“…The community level (21.2%) could include strategies, such as local rules around water sharing (McCord et al, 2018), communal management of groundwater resources (Foster et al, 2012), or improved reliability and maintenance of water infrastructure (Borgomeo et al, 2017). The watershed or river basin scale (37.4%) included strategies to revitalize irrigation systems (Lankford et al, 2016) and manage water at the water-energy-food nexus (e.g., Wegerich et al, 2015;Shah & Zerriffi, 2017;Colloff et al, 2018). State or province (21.2%) and country (35.4%) scales could include many of these aforementioned strategies, or broader legal and regulatory changes.…”

Section: Solution Pathways To Water Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

How is water security conceptualized and practiced for rural livelihoods in the global South? A systematic scoping review

Shah

2021

Water Policy

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In the global South, rural and resource-based livelihoods increasingly face water-related risks. The conceptualization and application of the water security concept in relation to rural livelihoods has not been reviewed in this context. To fill this gap, a systematic scoping review of refereed journal articles (2000–2019) was conducted to examine how water security is defined, driven, and addressed for rural livelihoods in the global South. Publications (n = 99) featured diverse methodologies and geographical contexts, and recognized simultaneous drivers of water insecurity and solution strategies for water security. Several shortcomings were evident. First, only 30.3% of publications defined the concept, mostly using frames of ‘adequate’, ‘sufficient’, and ‘acceptable’ water-related risks. Few definitions recognized the role of water security interventions in increasing capabilities and prosperity. Second, technical and managerial responses to proximate drivers of water-related risk – namely climate-related dynamics, water re-allocation, extraction, and mismanagement – outnumbered efforts to identify and transform the underlying social, economic, and political inequities that create and sustain water insecurity. Last, studies focused heavily on agriculture, while labour, transhumance pastoralism, and aquaculture were underrepresented. A research agenda that increases the synergies between the wider water security and rural livelihoods scholarship is advanced to address these shortcomings.

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Re-framing the decision context over trade-offs among ecosystem services and wellbeing in a major river basin where water resources are highly contested

Cited by 19 publications

References 44 publications

Sustainable irrigation technologies: a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective towards achieving more crop per drop per joule per hectare

Sustainable irrigation technologies: a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective towards achieving more crop per drop per joule per hectare

Freshwater systems and ecosystem services: Challenges and chances for cross-fertilization of disciplines

How is water security conceptualized and practiced for rural livelihoods in the global South? A systematic scoping review

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