International Commission on Irrigation & Drainage Commission Internationale des Irrigation et du Drainage

Water, energy and food are essential for human well-being and sustainable development. Global projections indicate that demand for freshwater, energy and food will increase significantly over the next decades under the pressure of population growth and mobility, economic development, international trade, urbanization, diversifying diets, cultural and technological changes, as well as climate change and other natural processes. The link between water, energy and food is inextricable in that water is an input for producing all kinds of agricultural crops and along the entire agro-food industry and supply chain. Energy in turn is required to produce and distribute water and food through processes such as pumping ground or surface water, powering tractors and irrigation machinery, and to process and transport agricultural goods. In more explicit terms, using water for irrigation might promote food production but it can also affect river flows and hydropower potential; growing crops under irrigation for bioenergy production can increase overall water exploitations and threaten food security; upgrading surface irrigation systems into more efficient pressurized techniques may conserve water but may also lead to higher energy consumption. Understanding and recognizing the diverse synergies and trade-offs involved between the three components is, thus, critical to ensure balance between water, energy and food security.

To this end, the global community is well aware of food-energy-water challenges, but has often addressed them in isolation, within sectoral margins. At the country level, fragmented sectoral responsibilities, lack of coordination, and inconsistencies between legal and regulatory frameworks has led to misaligned benefits and stress to the natural resources.

With a particular relevance to the Irrigation and Drainage sector, there lies the key question of food security in many developing countries. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) predicts that by 2050, population growth will result in doubled demand for food globally. The resulting present and anticipated challenges entail that innovative approaches have to be adopted to increase food production in order to meet the growing demand. Irrigation development is thought to be a preeminent strategy to answer food security challenges which now claims close to 70 percent of all freshwater withdrawals made for human use. In this perspective, many developing countries are vesting ambitious plans to expand irrigated agriculture. Strategies mainly highlight a shift from public to private investment and from larger to smallerscale systems in irrigation by promoting the idea of affordable and effective irrigation to poor farmers worldwide. The resulting rewards of higher outputs, incomes and better diets are, however, at the expense of higher water and energy consumption. 


Notification  Scoping Document

 

Organized an International Workshop on “The Water-Energy-Food-Nexus: implementation and examples of applications”, 09:30-13:00 hours (TBC), 02 November 2023  from 09:30:13:30 hours as part of the 25th International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage and the 74th International Executive Council meeting, 01-08 November 2023 in Vishakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh, India.


 

 

Strategy Themes: Natural Resources
Mandate:

(a) To exchange information, knowledge, and experience, as well as networking on the Water-Food-Energy Nexus topic in order to be up to date with new developments, methods and approaches. This can be the basis for a possible position paper on key issues on the nexus. (b) To prepare an overview document on the state of the art on improving water use efficiency and productivity within the nexus. (c) to produce a document of impact of climate change and possible use of non-conventional less water consuming crops (d) To prepare an overview document on the state of the art on model applications as useful management tools for water, crops, field and energy management within the nexus (e) To prepare and present reports on case studies on recent developments in the countries that are represented in the WG; and from presented cases of the workshops (f) To organize international workshops, seminars or symposia on the Nexus topic. (g) To implement ICID 2030 vision.


Established : 2020

Chairman Message

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Prof. Dr. Ragab Ragab, United Kingdom

AGENDA/ MINUTES/ REPORTS/ PUBLICATIONS

AGENDA; MINUTES


Brief Outcome of the International Workshop of the WG-WEF_N, September 2025, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia


Proceedings of the International Workshop on Implementation of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus for Building Resilience, Adaptation and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development, 7 September 2025, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia


Proceedings of the International Workshop on Water-Energy-Food Nexus, Sydney, Australia, 2024


Published paper: Assessment of rural livelihoods, health and wellbeing in Vhembe District Municipality, South Africa and Narok County, Kenya: A water-energy-food nexus perspective by Christina M. Botai et. al.


Circular and Transformative Economy

Advances Towards Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation

Edited By: Luxon NhamoSylvester MpandeliStanley LiphadziTafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi

eBook ISBN: 9781003327615, 2024, Pages 302


Proceedings of 25th ICID Congress on Irrigation and Drainage: International Workshop on the Water-Energy-Food-Nexus: Implementation, 1-8 November 2023, Visakhapatnam (Vizag), India, and 

Report on New Advances in Water Saving in Irrigation, September 4, 2023. Activity Report by Working Group on Water Food Energy Nexus (WG-WFE-N)


Biosaline Agriculture as a Climate Change Adaptation for Food Security (Redouane Choukr-Allah and Ragab Ragab (Editors). 2023)


24th ICID Congress, 2022: Proceedings - International Workshop on Water-Energy-Food-Nexus: Implementation and Examples of Application (WG-WFE-N)


Emerging Research in Alternative Crops. Springer. Environment & Policy 58 (Abdelaziz Hirich, Redouane Choukr- Alla, and Ragab Ragab (Editors). 2020)

 

Proceedings of Papers presented for International Workshop on Water-Energy-Food-Nexus: Implementation and Examples of Application, 3-10 October 2022, Adelaide, Australia


Publication on Water - Energy - Food Nexus Narratives and Resource Securities

  • Chapter 1: The water-energy-food nexus: its transition into a transformative approach (Sylvester Mpandeli, Luxon Nhamo, Aidan Senzanje, Graham Jewitt, Albert Modi, Festo Massawe, and Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi)
  • Chapter 2: Some quantitative water-energy-food nexus analysis approaches and their data requirements (Jafaru M. Egieya, Johann Görgens, and Neill Goosen)
  • Chapter 3: EO-WEF: a Earth Observations for Water, Energy, and Food nexus geotool for spatial data visualization and generation (Zolo Kiala, Graham Jewitt, Aidan Senzanje, Onisimo Mutanga, Timothy Dube, and Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi)
  • Chapter 4: Scales of application of the WEF nexus approach (Janez Susnik, Sara Masia, and Graham Jewitt)
  • Chapter 5: Tools and indices for WEF nexus analysis (Janez Susnik, Sara Masia, Graham Jewitt, and Gareth Simpson)
  • Chapter 6: Transboundary WEF nexus analysis: a case study of the Songwe River Basin (Sara Masia, Janez Susnik, Graham Jewitt, Zolo Kiala, and Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi)
  • Chapter 7: Applying the WEF nexus at a local level: a focus on catchment level (S. Walker, I. Jacobs-Mata, B. Fakudze, M.O. Phahlane, and N. Masekwana)
  • Chapter 8: A regional approach to implementing the WEF nexus: a case study of the Southern African Development Community (Patrice Kandolo Kabeya, Dumisani Mndzebele, Moses Ntlamelle, Duncan Samikwa, Alex Simalabwi, Andrew Takawira, Kidane Jembere, and Shamiso Kumbirai)
  • Chapter 9: Exploring the contribution of Tugwi-Mukosi Dam toward water, energy, and food security (Never Mujere, and Nelson Chanza)
  • Chapter 10: The water-energy-food nexus as an Approach for achieving sustainable development goals 2 (food), 6 (water), and 7 (energy) (Aidan Senzanje, M. Mudhara, and L. Tirivamwe)
  • Chapter 11: Enhancing sustainable human and environmental health through nexus planning (Luxon Nhamo, Sylvester Mpandeli1, Shamiso P. Nhamo, Stanley Liphadzi1, and Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi)
  • Chapter 12: Financing WEF nexus projects: perspectives from interdisciplinary and multidimensional research challenges (Maysoun A. Mustafa. and Christoph Hinske)
  • Chapter 13: The Water-Energy-Food nexus as a rallying point for sustainable development: emerging lessons from South and Southeast Asia (Andrew Huey Ping Tan, Eng Hwa Yap, Yousif Abdalla Abakr, Alex M. Lechner, Maysoun A. Mustafa, and Festo Massawe)
  • Chapter 14: The water-energy-food nexus: an ecosystems and anthropocentric perspective (Sally Williams, Annette Huber-Lee, Laura Forni, Youssef Almulla, Camilo Ramirez Gomez, Brian Joyce, and Francesco Fuso-Nerini)
  • Chapter 15: Water-energy-food nexus approaches to facilitate smallholder agricultural technology adoption in Africa (Michael G. Jacobson)
  • Chapter 16: Building capacity for upscaling the WEF nexus and guiding transformational change in Africa (Tendai P. Chibarabada, Goden Mabaya, Luxon Nhamo, Sylvester Mpandeli, Stanley Liphadzi, Krasposy K. Kujinga, Jean-Marie Kileshye-Onema, Hodson Makurira, Dhesigen Naidoo, and Michael G. Jacobson)
  • Chapter 17: WEF nexus narratives: toward sustainable resource security (Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, Aidan Senzanje, Albert Modi, Graham Jewitt, and Festo Massawe)

Articles related to the Water–Energy–Food Nexus from South Africa (Vice President Prof. Dr. Sylvester Mpandeli)

Membership
Sl. No. Name Email Country Position
1 Prof. Dr. Ragab Ragab - President Hon. ra************* United Kingdom Chair
2 Dr. K. Yella Reddy - Vice President Hon. ky************* India Vice Chair
3 Dr. Ming-Che Hu mc************* Chinese Taipei Committee Secretary
4 Mr. Abbas Fadhel ab************* Iraq Member
5 Ir. Adang Saf Ahmad ad************* Indonesia Member
6 Dr. Amani Alfarra am************* Canada Member
7 Mr. Basim Tuama Naser ba************* Iraq Member
8 Dr. Behzad Navidi Nassaj be************* Iran Member
9 Mr. Books LIU Dongzhe bo************* China Member
10 Mr. Carl Walters ca************* Australia Member
11 Mr. Chaisri Suksaroj fe************* Thailand Member
12 Prof. Cheh-Shy Ting cs************* Chinese Taipei Committee Member
13 Dr. Chung Feng Ding cf************* Chinese Taipei Committee Member
14 Dr. Deepak Khare - Direct Member kh************* India Member
15 Prof. Dr. Vishnu Prasad Pandey vi************* Nepal Member
16 Ir. Felipe Dantas fe************* Australia Member
17 Eng. Han Songjun, YP ha************* China Member
18 Mr. Hao-Tien Cheng ct************* Chinese Taipei Committee Member
19 Ms. Jigyasha Rai Yangkhurung ji************* Nepal Member
20 Mr. John William O’Connor jo************* Australia Member
21 Dr. Junzeng Xu xj************* China Member
22 Eng. Karshiyev Rustum Jurayevih r.************* Uzbekistan Member
23 Mr. Liangsheng Shi (YP) li************* China Member
24 Mr. Lokesh Sinram lo************* India Member
25 Dr. Lu Hui lu************* China Member
26 Dr. Man Singh ma************* India Member
27 Dr. Marco Arcieri - President m.************* Italy Member
28 Dr. Mesut Kocak mk************* Turkey Member
29 Dr. Muhammed Imran Kulat ku************* Turkey Member
30 Er. Mustafa Demir mu************* Turkey Member
31 Prof. NAM Won Ho wo************* South Korea Member
32 Dr. Narges Zohrabi na************* Iran Member
33 Dr. Noppadon Kowsuvon pr************* Thailand Member
34 Dr. P. Soman dr************* India Member
35 Dr. Peng-Jui Wang ar************* Chinese Taipei Committee Member
36 Prof. Dr. S. Vishnuvardhan vi************* India Member
37 Dr. Shinji FUKUDA sh************* Japan Member
38 Prof. Dr. Sylvester Mpandeli - Vice President Hon. sy************* South Africa Member
39 Prof. Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi ma************* South Africa Member
40 Dr. Watchara Suiadee - Vice President wa************* Thailand Member
41 Eng. Yang Kaijing, YP ya************* China Member
42 Eng. YU Lei, YP yu************* China Member
43 Mr. Yukiya Saika y.************* Japan Member
44 Prof. Dr. Zeinab Hussien Behairy z_************* Egypt Member
45 Dr. Piyatida Ruangrassamee pi************* Thailand Observer
46 Mr. Syaiful Mahdi sy************* Indonesia Observer
47 Engr. David Partonggo Oloan Marpaung S.T., MPSDA da************* Indonesia Provisional Member
48 Dr. Luxon Nhamo lu************* South Africa Provisional Member
49 Eng. MA Zonghan, YP ma************* China Provisional Member
50 Eng. Wang Xiaojun, YP xj************* China Provisional Member
51 Eng. WU Junhu, YP wu************* China Provisional Member
52 Prof. Dr. Yutaka MATSUNO ma************* Japan Provisional Member
53 Dr. R.K. Gupta - Secretary General se************* India Secretary General
54 Prof. Daniele de Wrachien da************* Italy Permanent Observer
55 Mr. Herbert H. Van Lier, CIGR me************* Italy Permanent Observer

In addition to the above representatives from FAO, ICRISAT are Permanent Observers.

Activities

Call for Papers deadline extended: International Workshop on “Implementation of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus at different scales for Socio-Economic Development”, 13 October 2026, Marseille, France

Call for Applications : Water Energy Food (WEF) Nexus Training 2026


Past Events


Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus Training - Call for Applications


Webinar on Catalysing SDGS through the Water-Energy-Food Nexus, 24 April 2025

Presentations of the Webinar 


Report of the International Workshop on the Water-Energy-Food-Nexus: Applications and Impact on Societies, Environment and Ecosystem, 1 September 2024, Sydney, Australia


iScience Volume 28, February 21, 2025 issue: Catalyzing sustainable development goals through the water-energy-food nexus by Luxon Nhamo,Sylvester Mpandeli,Stanley Liphadzi,Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi


Book Release: Circular and Transformative Economy

Advances Towards Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation

Edited By: Luxon NhamoSylvester MpandeliStanley LiphadziTafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi - eBook ISBN: 9781003327615, 2024, Pages 302


Webinar on Application of Models in Water-Energy-Food Nexus, 11 April 2024 (Thursday), 15:00-16:00 Hours (IST)


Papers: International Workshop on Water-Energy-Food-Nexus: Implementation and Examples of Application, Adelaide, Australia, 2022


 

PRESENTATIONS

75th IEC Meeting and 9th Asian Regional Conference, 1-7 September 2024, Sydney, Australia


International Workshop of Water-Energy-Food-Nexus: Implementation and Examples of Application, 03 November 2023, Vishakhapatnam (Vizag.), Andhra Pradesh, India

  1. Navigating The Water-Agriculture-Energy Nexus for Sustainable Development: Lessons from Morocco by Domitille Vallee, Lahcen Kenny, IAV Hassan II, Anais Rondier, and Dubravka Bojic
  2. The Use of Solar stills in Agriculture: Sustainable Irrigation and Food Production by Souad NASRDINE, Mohammed BENCHRIFA2, Jamal MABROUKI3 and Miloudia SLAOUI
  3. Water - Food - Energy Nexus in Egypt by Zeinab Hussien BEHAIRY
  4. Assessment of On-Farm Water-Energy-Food-Ecology Nexus for Wheat and Faba Bean Farming in Egypt by Mohie El Din Omar1, and Vinay Nangia
  5. Enhancing Climate Change Resilience and Adaptation Through Integrated Nexus Approaches by Luxon Nhamo, Sylvester Mpandeli and Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi
  6. Status of Implementation of The Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus Approach: Case of South Africa and Zimbabwe by Cuthbert Taguta, Aidan Senzanje et al
  7. Transitional Pathways Towards Sustainable Food Systems Through Nexus Planning by Luxon Nhamo, Sylvester Mpandeli and Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi
  8. Understanding Water Food Energy (WFE) Nexus and the Challenges of Improving Model Accuracy by John O’Connor, Carl Waters and Liz Hutton
  9. Food Security Status and Income Generation: A Case Study of The Agri-Silviculture in South Africa by Phokele Maponya, Thabo Nkuna et al
  10. Role of Women in Water-Food-Energy (WFE) Nexus – Challenges and Opportunities by Narges Zohrabi, Ragab Ragab


International Workshop of the Water-Energy-Food-Nexus: Implementation and Examples of Application, 04 October 2022, Adelaide, Australia


1. Development of Water-Energy-Food Nexus Model for Basin-Scale Studies by Krishna Mondal Raja Babu Tantuway Chandranath Chatterjee and Rajendra Singh

2. Impact of Two Schemes on Water, Energy and Food Nexus: Examples from India by Avinash Mishra and Arunlal K.

3.  Policy Implementation to Improve Water-Energy-Food Security in Indonesia by Anissa Mayangsari Duki Malindo

4. Inter Basin Water Transfer for Sustainable Agricultural Production Systemsa Case Study of Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project of Andhra Pradesh, India by Vennela, G, Reddy, Ky., Vishnuvardhan, S., and Khalko, D

5.  Spatial-Scale Water-Energy-Food Nexus Analysis in India – Insight from Implemented Policies by Mishra Krishna Mondal, Chandranath Chatterjee, Ashok, and Rajendra Singh

6.  Catchment Based Water-Energy-Food Nexus Assessment: Example of the Crocodile River Catchment, Mpumalanga, South Africa by Sue Walker, Inga Jacobs-Mata, Nwabisa Masekwana, Bhekiwe Fakudze, and Tendai Sawunyama

7.  Dual Use of Irrigation Water for Food Production and Hydropower Generation in Japan by Yukiya SAIKA

8.  Solar – powered micro-irrigation demonsrations for food security, youth and Women empowerment in Malawi and Zambia by Isaac R. Fandika, Cheelo H. Mudenda, Horace Kakhiwa, Herbert Kumwenda, Collin Zalengera, Grivin Chipula, Geoffrey Mwepa

9.  Application of Water-Energy-Food Nexus Framework Tools at different scales preliminary assessment by nwabisa masekwana, sue walker and Michael van der Laan

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