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Keywords: food value chain; economic performance; socio-economic transformation
This WPE project investigates the synergies and trade-offs associated with the simultaneous use and management of water, energy, and food in South Africa.
Understanding this nexus framework is critical in supporting the achievement of not only all the key objectives included in the South African National Development Plan 2030 but also essential United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG 2: Zero hunger; SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation; and SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy. This is because South Africa is an emerging economy that consumes energy, water, and food as inputs to support the production of goods and services that contribute towards reducing unemployment and inequality. Water, energy, and food are also directly used as outputs by households and firms. Therefore, this requires finding optimal, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions that support the simultaneous use of these resources in a way that reduces physical and economic losses and improves ecological and economic efficiency.