IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/sumafo/v32y2024i1d10.1007_s00550-024-00540-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Framing water–energy–food–ecosystem (WEFE) nexus interactions in the Tana-Beles Sub-basin of Ethiopia

Author

Listed:
  • Wuletawu Abera

    (International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT))

  • Yonas Getaneh

    (International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT))

  • Yodit Balcha

    (International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT))

  • Tewodros Assefa

    (Bahir Dar University)

  • Chalachew A. Mulatu

    (Bahir Dar University)

  • Girma Yimer Ebrahim

    (International Water Management Institute – Addis Ababa)

  • Megersa Tesfaye

    (Wollega University)

  • Meseret Dawit

    (Johannesburg University)

  • Wubneh Belete Abebe

    (University of Nevada)

  • Meron Teferi Taye

    (International Water Management Institute – Addis Ababa)

Abstract

The water–energy–food–ecosystems (WEFE) provide vital resources that are essential to human existence. Exploring synergies and trade-offs in these systems has been of interest in recent years to increase economic gain while sustaining the environment. The Tana-Beles Sub-basin of Ethiopia is challenged by population density, climate change, and ecosystem degradation that requires a WEFE Nexus thinking. To understand the current WEFE nexus interactions in the basin, a systematic review of 102 scientific research articles published from 1991 to 2021 was undertaken. Additionally, the systematic review is complemented by spatial data analysis to identify synergies and trade-offs among the WEFE nexus indicators. The analysis revealed the dominance of food–water–ecosystem interdependencies in WEFE nexus research for the Tana-Beles Sub-basin. This dominance is driven by extensive food production activities, which lead to substantial water abstraction and hydrological alterations to meet the intensive water demands of crop cultivation. Simultaneously, the energy-ecosystem interactions are critical due to excessive biomass utilization that exceeds the biomass production potential of the area. Furthermore, the available vegetation cover of the area is very limited to supplement the growing fuel wood demands, which is exerting extreme land degradation and threatening the ecosystem in the sub-basin. This study identifies gaps in WEFE understanding, highlights specific challenges and opportunities within the basin, and calls for coordinated stakeholder action for sustainable resource management through a Nexus approach.

Suggested Citation

  • Wuletawu Abera & Yonas Getaneh & Yodit Balcha & Tewodros Assefa & Chalachew A. Mulatu & Girma Yimer Ebrahim & Megersa Tesfaye & Meseret Dawit & Wubneh Belete Abebe & Meron Teferi Taye, 2024. "Framing water–energy–food–ecosystem (WEFE) nexus interactions in the Tana-Beles Sub-basin of Ethiopia," Sustainability Nexus Forum, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 1-24, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sumafo:v:32:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s00550-024-00540-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s00550-024-00540-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00550-024-00540-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s00550-024-00540-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aria, Massimo & Cuccurullo, Corrado, 2017. "bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 959-975.
    2. Desale Kidane Asmamaw & Pieter Janssens & Mekete Dessie & Seifu A. Tilahun & Enyew Adgo & Jan Nyssen & Kristine Walraevens & Derbew Fentie & Wim M. Cornelis, 2021. "Soil and Irrigation Water Management: Farmer’s Practice, Insight, and Major Constraints in Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, April.
    3. Bizimana, J.-C. & Yalew, B. B. & Assefa, T. T. & Belay, S. A. & Degu, Y. M. & Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe & Reyes, M. R. & Prasad, P. V. V. & Tilahun, Seifu A., 2023. "Simulating potential impacts of solar MajiPump on the economy and nutrition of smallholder farmers in sub-humid Ethiopia," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-15(22):40.
    4. Yenesew Yihun & Abraham Haile & Bart Schultz & Teklu Erkossa, 2013. "Crop Water Productivity of Irrigated Teff in a Water Stressed Region," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(8), pages 3115-3125, June.
    5. Erkossa, T. & Haileslassie, A. & MacAlister, C., 2014. "Enhancing farming system water productivity through alternative land use and water management in vertisol areas of Ethiopian Blue Nile Basin (Abay)," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 120-128.
    6. Cook, Simon, 2006. "Agricultural water productivity: issues, concepts and approaches," IWMI Working Papers H039744, International Water Management Institute.
    7. Cobo, M.J. & López-Herrera, A.G. & Herrera-Viedma, E. & Herrera, F., 2011. "An approach for detecting, quantifying, and visualizing the evolution of a research field: A practical application to the Fuzzy Sets Theory field," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 146-166.
    8. Bieber, Niclas & Ker, Jen Ho & Wang, Xiaonan & Triantafyllidis, Charalampos & van Dam, Koen H. & Koppelaar, Rembrandt H.E.M. & Shah, Nilay, 2018. "Sustainable planning of the energy-water-food nexus using decision making tools," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 584-607.
    9. Víctor Correa-Porcel & Laura Piedra-Muñoz & Emilio Galdeano-Gómez, 2021. "Water–Energy–Food Nexus in the Agri-Food Sector: Research Trends and Innovating Practices," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-31, December.
    10. Elias, Asres & Nohmi, Makoto & Yasunobu, Kumi, 2017. "Cost-Benefit Analysis of Cultivating Three Major Crops and Its Implication to Agricultural Extension Service: A Case Study in North-West Ethiopia," Japanese Journal of Agricultural Economics (formerly Japanese Journal of Rural Economics), Agricultural Economics Society of Japan (AESJ), vol. 19.
    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. Johnson Ankrah & Ana Monteiro & Helena Madureira, 2022. "Bibliometric Analysis of Data Sources and Tools for Shoreline Change Analysis and Detection," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-23, April.
    2. Zoltán Lakner & Brigitta Plasek & Gyula Kasza & Anna Kiss & Sándor Soós & Ágoston Temesi, 2021. "Towards Understanding the Food Consumer Behavior–Food Safety–Sustainability Triangle: A Bibliometric Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-23, November.
    3. Francisco García-Lillo & Eduardo Sánchez-García & Bartolomé Marco-Lajara & Pedro Seva-Larrosa, 2023. "Renewable Energies and Sustainable Development: A Bibliometric Overview," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-22, January.
    4. Simone Di Leo & Marta Chicca & Cinzia Daraio & Andrea Guerrini & Stefano Scarcella, 2022. "A Framework for the Analysis of the Sustainability of the Energy Retail Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-28, June.
    5. Wang, Xiaoguang & He, Jing & Huang, Han & Wang, Hongyu, 2022. "MatrixSim: A new method for detecting the evolution paths of research topics," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 16(4).
    6. Paulo Rita & Ricardo F. Ramos, 2022. "Global Research Trends in Consumer Behavior and Sustainability in E-Commerce: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Knowledge Structure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-20, August.
    7. Deepa Sharma & Suman Chakraborty & Ashwath Ananda Rao & Lumen Shawn Lobo, 2023. "The Relationship of Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Performance: A Bibliometric Overview," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, March.
    8. Albiona Pestisha & Zoltán Gabnai & Aidana Chalgynbayeva & Péter Lengyel & Attila Bai, 2023. "On-Farm Renewable Energy Systems: A Systematic Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-25, January.
    9. Zamani, Mehdi & Yalcin, Haydar & Naeini, Ali Bonyadi & Zeba, Gordana & Daim, Tugrul U, 2022. "Developing metrics for emerging technologies: identification and assessment," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    10. Hugo Palácios & Helena de Almeida & Maria José Sousa, 2021. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Service Climate as a Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Hospitality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-27, November.
    11. Paul Handro & Bogdan Dima, 2024. "Analyzing Financial Markets Efficiency: Insights from a Bibliometric and Content Review," Journal of Financial Studies, Institute of Financial Studies, vol. 16(9), pages 119-175, May.
    12. Saymon Ricardo Oliveira Sousa & Wesley Vieira Silva & Claudimar Pereira Veiga & Roselaine Ruviaro Zanini, 2020. "Theoretical background of innovation in services in small and medium-sized enterprises: literature mapping," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-26, December.
    13. Pan Zhang & Yongjun Du & Sijie Han & Qingan Qiu, 2022. "Global Progress in Oil and Gas Well Research Using Bibliometric Analysis Based on VOSviewer and CiteSpace," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-27, July.
    14. Omolola M. Adisa & Muthoni Masinde & Joel O. Botai & Christina M. Botai, 2020. "Bibliometric Analysis of Methods and Tools for Drought Monitoring and Prediction in Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-22, August.
    15. Massimo Aria & Corrado Cuccurullo & Luca D’Aniello & Michelangelo Misuraca & Maria Spano, 2022. "Thematic Analysis as a New Culturomic Tool: The Social Media Coverage on COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-22, March.
    16. Pereira, Vijay & Bamel, Umesh & Paul, Happy & Varma, Arup, 2022. "Personality and safety behavior: An analysis of worldwide research on road and traffic safety leading to organizational and policy implications," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 185-196.
    17. Vishwakarma, Laxmi Pandit & Singh, Rajesh Kr & Mishra, Ruchi & Demirkol, Denizhan & Daim, Tugrul, 2024. "The adoption of social robots in service operations: A comprehensive review," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    18. Batista-Canino, Rosa M. & Santana-Hernández, Lidia & Medina-Brito, Pino, 2024. "A holistic literature review on entrepreneurial Intention: A scientometric approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    19. Miltos Ladikas & Julia Hahn & Lei Huang, 2022. "Assessing the Impact of Technology Assessment, Responsible Research and Innovation and Sustainability Research: Towards a Common Methodological Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-16, February.
    20. Floriana Fusco & Marta Marsilio & Chiara Guglielmetti, 2018. "La co-production in sanit?: un?analisi bibliometrica," MECOSAN, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2018(108), pages 35-54.

    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:spr:sumafo:v:32:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s00550-024-00540-2. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.