IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v12y2023i3p585-d1083730.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Gender and Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Rural Highlands of Ethiopia: Where Are the Trade-Offs?

Author

Listed:
  • Grace B. Villamor

    (Scion (New Zealand Forest Research Institute, Ltd.) Titokorangi Drive, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand
    Department of Ecology and Natural Resources Management, Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, 3 Genscherallee, 53113 Bonn, Germany)

Abstract

The introduction of modern bioenergy alternatives is promoted to address water–energy–food (WEF) security in the rural highlands of Ethiopia. While the role of women in WEF security is an essential component of these challenges, gender dimensions remain invisible in the nexus debate. This study explores the impact of gender-specific roles between female- and male-headed households on the nexus resources in the rural highlands of Ethiopia using an agent-based modeling approach. This includes capturing the gender-specific responses to modern bioenergy interventions to address current energy crises that may reduce or enhance synergies among nexus resources and whether the introduction of modern bioenergy technology would improve the quality of life for both men and women. Using the participatory gendered mental model of the food–energy–land nexus, a base ABM was developed to simulate the predicted effects under scenarios of population growth and labor reallocation. Initial simulation results show that there is low adoption of alternative bioenergy (i.e., biogas digesters), and the majority remain dependent on traditional energy sources (e.g., fuel wood and animal dung), suggesting further land degradation. Female-headed households that adopt biogas increase their burden of collecting water needed for the operation. Reallocation of labor from crop production to fuelwood collection would result in the reduction of crop yields. It is expected that male-headed households have better crop yields than female counterparts due to gender-specific roles. However, by shifting 10% of labor allocated from energy collection to crop production, yields (i.e., teff and wheat) produced by female-headed households would be comparable to their male counterparts, enhancing their food security. However, the reduced workloads for women resulting from the adoption of biogas digesters will not necessarily enhance their quality of life. This study suggests that trade-offs may arise between efficiency (in resource use) and social equity, which deserve to be further analyzed.

Suggested Citation

  • Grace B. Villamor, 2023. "Gender and Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Rural Highlands of Ethiopia: Where Are the Trade-Offs?," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:3:p:585-:d:1083730
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/3/585/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/3/585/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Villamor, Grace B. & Guta, Dawit & Djanibekov, Utkur & Mirzabaev, Alisher, 2018. "Gender specific perspectives among smallholder farm households on water-energy-food security nexus issues in Ethiopia," Discussion Papers 273120, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    2. Carolyn Sachs, 1992. "Reconsidering diversity in agriculture and food systems: An ecofeminist approach," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 9(3), pages 4-10, June.
    3. Gebreegziabher, Zenebe & Mekonnen, Alemu & Ferede, Tadele & Guta, Fantu & Levin, Jörgen & Köhlin, Gunnar & Alemu, Tekie & Bohlin, Lars, 2013. "The Distributive Effect and Food Security Implications of Biofuels Investment in Ethiopia: A CGE Analysis," RFF Working Paper Series dp-13-02-efd, Resources for the Future.
    4. Arndt, Channing & Benfica, Rui & Thurlow, James, 2011. "Gender Implications of Biofuels Expansion in Africa: The Case of Mozambique," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(9), pages 1649-1662, September.
    5. Bazilian, Morgan & Rogner, Holger & Howells, Mark & Hermann, Sebastian & Arent, Douglas & Gielen, Dolf & Steduto, Pasquale & Mueller, Alexander & Komor, Paul & Tol, Richard S.J. & Yumkella, Kandeh K., 2011. "Considering the energy, water and food nexus: Towards an integrated modelling approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 7896-7906.
    6. repec:fpr:ifprib:9780812245295 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Dorosh, Paul A. & Rashid, Shahidur, 2012. "Introduction [in Ethiopian Agriculture]," IFPRI book chapters, in: Food and agriculture in Ethiopia: Progress and policy challenges, chapter 1, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    8. Guta, Dawit Diriba, 2014. "Effect of fuelwood scarcity and socio-economic factors on household bio-based energy use and energy substitution in rural Ethiopia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 217-227.
    9. Djanibekov, Utkur & Gaur, Varun, 2018. "Nexus of energy use, agricultural production, employment and incomes among rural households in Uttar Pradesh, India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 439-453.
    10. Amir Molajou & Parsa Pouladi & Abbas Afshar, 2021. "Incorporating Social System into Water-Food-Energy Nexus," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 35(13), pages 4561-4580, October.
    11. Girum Ayalneh Tiruye & Abreham Tesfaye Besha & Yedilfana Setarge Mekonnen & Natei Ermias Benti & Gebrehiwet Abrham Gebreslase & Ramato Ashu Tufa, 2021. "Opportunities and Challenges of Renewable Energy Production in Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-25, September.
    12. Andre Croppenstedt & Markus Goldstein & Nina Rosas, 2013. "Gender and Agriculture: Inefficiencies, Segregation, and Low Productivity Traps," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 28(1), pages 79-109, February.
    13. Elisabeth Dresen & Ben DeVries & Martin Herold & Louis Verchot & Robert Müller, 2014. "Fuelwood Savings and Carbon Emission Reductions by the Use of Improved Cooking Stoves in an Afromontane Forest, Ethiopia," Land, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-21, September.
    14. Gwavuya, S.G. & Abele, S. & Barfuss, I. & Zeller, M. & Müller, J., 2012. "Household energy economics in rural Ethiopia: A cost-benefit analysis of biogas energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 202-209.
    15. Haileslassie, Amare & Priess, Joerg A. & Veldkamp, Edzo & Lesschen, Jan Peter, 2007. "Nutrient flows and balances at the field and farm scale: Exploring effects of land-use strategies and access to resources," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 459-470, May.
    16. Djanibekov, Utkur & Finger, Robert & Guta, Dawit Diriba & Varun, Gaur & Mirzabaev, Alisher, 2016. "A generic model for analyzing nexus issues of households’ bioenergy use," Discussion Papers 230416, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    17. Mengistu, Mulu Getachew & Simane, Belay & Eshete, Getachew & Workneh, Tilahun Seyoum, 2016. "Factors affecting households' decisions in biogas technology adoption, the case of Ofla and Mecha Districts, northern Ethiopia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 215-227.
    18. Alisher Mirzabaev & Dawit Guta & Jann Goedecke & Varun Gaur & Jan Börner & Detlef Virchow & Manfred Denich & Joachim von Braun, 2015. "Bioenergy, food security and poverty reduction: trade-offs and synergies along the water-energy-food security nexus," Water International, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(5-6), pages 772-790, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Djanibekov, Utkur & Gaur, Varun, 2018. "Nexus of energy use, agricultural production, employment and incomes among rural households in Uttar Pradesh, India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 439-453.
    2. Kelebe, Haftu Etsay & Ayimut, Kiros Meles & Berhe, Gebresilasse Hailu & Hintsa, Kidane, 2017. "Determinants for adoption decision of small scale biogas technology by rural households in Tigray, Ethiopia," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 272-278.
    3. Djanibekov, Utkur & Finger, Robert & Guta, Dawit Diriba & Varun, Gaur & Mirzabaev, Alisher, 2016. "A generic model for analyzing nexus issues of households’ bioenergy use," Discussion Papers 230416, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    4. Villamor, Grace B. & Guta, Dawit & Djanibekov, Utkur & Mirzabaev, Alisher, 2018. "Gender specific perspectives among smallholder farm households on water-energy-food security nexus issues in Ethiopia," Discussion Papers 273120, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    5. Djanibekov, Utkur & Gaur, Varun, 2016. "Assessing nexus effects of energy use in rural areas: the case of an inter- and intra-household model for Uttar Pradesh, India," Discussion Papers 244754, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    6. White, David J. & Hubacek, Klaus & Feng, Kuishuang & Sun, Laixiang & Meng, Bo, 2018. "The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in East Asia: A tele-connected value chain analysis using inter-regional input-output analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 550-567.
    7. Najam uz Zehra Gardezi & Brent S. Steel & Angela Lavado, 2020. "The Impact of Efficacy, Values, and Knowledge on Public Preferences Concerning Food–Water–Energy Policy Tradeoffs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-20, November.
    8. Yue, Qiong & Guo, Ping, 2021. "Managing agricultural water-energy-food-environment nexus considering water footprint and carbon footprint under uncertainty," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 252(C).
    9. Syed M Amir & Yonggong Liu & Ashfaq A Shah & Umer Khayyam & Zafar Mahmood, 2020. "Empirical study on influencing factors of biogas technology adoption in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan," Energy & Environment, , vol. 31(2), pages 308-329, March.
    10. Guta, Dawit Diriba & Börner, Jan, 2015. "Energy security, uncertainty, and energy resource use option in Ethiopia: A sector modelling approach," Discussion Papers 207697, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    11. Wassie, Yibeltal T. & Adaramola, Muyiwa S., 2019. "Potential environmental impacts of small-scale renewable energy technologies in East Africa: A systematic review of the evidence," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 377-391.
    12. Grabher, Harald F. & Erb, Karlheinz & Singh, Simron & Haberl, Helmut, 2024. "Household energy systems based on biomass: Tracing material flows from source to service in rural Ethiopia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    13. Shane, Agabu & Gheewala, Shabbir H. & Phiri, Seveliano, 2017. "Rural domestic biogas supply model for Zambia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 683-697.
    14. Karanja, Alice & Gasparatos, Alexandros, 2019. "Adoption and impacts of clean bioenergy cookstoves in Kenya," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 285-306.
    15. Mengistu, Mulu Getachew & Simane, Belay & Eshete, Getachew & Workneh, Tilahun Seyoum, 2016. "Factors affecting households' decisions in biogas technology adoption, the case of Ofla and Mecha Districts, northern Ethiopia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 215-227.
    16. Uhunamure, S.E. & Nethengwe, N.S. & Tinarwo, D., 2019. "Correlating the factors influencing household decisions on adoption and utilisation of biogas technology in South Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 264-273.
    17. Djanibekov, U. & Gaur, V., 2018. "Impacts of energy use nexus on inter- and intra-heterogeneous households: the case of Uttar Pradesh, India," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277299, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    18. Roger Cremades & Hermine Mitter & Nicu Constantin Tudose & Anabel Sanchez-Plaza & Anil Graves & Annelies Broekman & Steffen Bender & Carlo Giupponi & Phoebe Koundouri & Muhamad Bahri & Sorin Cheval & , 2019. "Ten principles to integrate the water-energy-land nexus with climate services for co-producing local and regional integrated assessments," DEOS Working Papers 1915, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    19. Harald Grabher, 2021. "HANPP trajectories for Ethiopia reveal recent agricultural efficiency gains but high grazing intensity," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 5277-5296, April.
    20. Guta, Dawit Diriba, 2020. "Determinants of household use of energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies in rural Ethiopia," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:3:p:585-:d:1083730. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.