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The water-energy-food nexus is a concept that recognizes the interconnectedness of water, energy, and food systems and their dependence on one another. Climate change poses significant challenges to this nexus, impacting the availability and quality of water resources, energy generation, and agricultural productivity. This PhD study focuses on the Osian block in Rajasthan, an arid agroecosystem experiencing alarming groundwater depletion. The study analyses energy intensity, cropping patterns, irrigation water requirements, and groundwater levels to identify strategies for sustainable water management.
Groundwater depletion in Osian is distressing, with a decline rate of 3.09 myr-1, and the stage of groundwater extraction at 434%. The study reveals that the area under water-intensive crops, such as Jeera, Groundnut, and Wheat, significantly contributes to the high-water requirements. To address this issue, the study introduces the Water-Energy-Food-Climate nexus index (WEFCcNI) and evaluates its application in crop selection and resource allocation like land.
Five different models are evaluated to optimize water and energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, net return, and overall sustainability. Among these models, Model 5, which maximizes the WEFCcNI index, emerges as the best-performing model with the highest score of 0.81 in the Nexus Sustainability Index (NSI). While Model 5 does not rank first in any single indicator but ranks first on integrated evaluation, i.e., NSI, showing the holistic optimization of the WEFCcN in agriculture when considering the entire nexus system. BAU scenario ranks worst on all indicators of NSI.
The results highlight the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach to achieve sustainability goals and inform decision-making in agricultural practices. The WEFCcNI index provides a valuable tool for managing the water-energy-food nexus by prioritizing areas for action, evaluating interventions, and informing resource allocation decisions. It also supports integrated decision-making, scenario planning, and the development of policies and regulations.
The study emphasizes the need for the proposed WEFCcN scheme, which aims to address long-term sustainability in energy, water, GHG emissions, and groundwater management. The scheme recommends the formation of a steering committee and the implementation of financial incentives, regional minimum support prices, assured procurement, crop insurance, and education on sustainable crops. It also promotes energy and water use efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and access to necessary resources.
In conclusion, this PhD study provides valuable insights into the challenges of sustainable water management in the context of the WEFN and climate change. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the WEFCcNI index in optimizing crop selection and management practices. The findings underscore the importance of integrated decision-making, policies, and regulations to achieve a resilient and sustainable water-energy-food nexus.
Keywords: Water-energy-food Nexus, Energy Intensity, Composite Index, Integrated Assessment Modeling (IAM), Groundwater irrigation, Crop Water Management, Sustainable Resource Allocation, Water-Energy-Food-Climate Nexus.
