Martin Keulertz

The water–food–energy nexus: an introduction to nexus concepts and some conceptual and operational problems

This introduction sets the scene for the special issue compiled by Martin Keulertz, Eckart Woertz and Tony Allan.

Financial challenges of the nexus: pathways for investment in water, energy and agriculture in the Arab world

The Water–Energy–Food (WEF) nexus is a development challenge in the Arab world, particularly in the ‘core nexus countries’ with low to mid-incomes in which limited water endowments permit agricultural production, such as Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Algeria, Sudan and Jordan. The WEF nexus is often conceptualized in mere technocratic terms, yet politics matter in the implementation of projects that address it. Internalizing hydrological externalities or leaving them as they are and financing them as a public good requires states whose capacities have been reduced as a result of neoliberal reform. The article explores five different pathways of how Arab countries could finance green growth projects ranging from regional financial markets to concessionary loans by funds from oil rich Gulf countries.

Water for food security and well-being in Latin America and the Caribbean: social and environmental implications for a globalized economy

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.

Future Global Water, Food and Energy Needs

If present trends continue, it is unlikely that increasingly overused ecosystems subject to deterioration and depletion will be able to meet global water, food and energy needs. Current academic thinking is that scarcity, pollution, mismanagement and misallocation of natural resources will impact every sector on which humankind depends for survival. In a globalized economy with increasingly free movement of commodities and financial and human capital, a poor understanding of the most pressing issues and their interconnectedness and interdependences will cause irreparable damage to the Earth and its billions of people: a clear case of fait accompli. This is a challenging context for global development, and to understand and manage the interdependencies between the various sectors and their global impact will require comprehensive planning and policy implementation, institutional resilience, partnerships across economic sectors, and innovation in development in order to sustainably manage resources in the wake of population growth and climate change.

Food trade relations of the Middle East and North Africa with tropical countries

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the world’s largest importer of food, especially of cereals, sugar and poultry. Tropical regions have gained growing importance as suppliers of such commodities in recent decades. Latin America and Africa in particular have been identified as sources of future agricultural growth that could provide exportable surpluses to the MENA and other food import dependent regions, such as East Asia. Foreign investors, host governments, local communities and international organizations are crucial actors in these agricultural expansion processes, which do, however, entail ecological and socio-economic risks. The article provides a historical perspective of tropical agriculture and the MENA in various food regimes since the 19th century. It then outlines the importance of tropical agriculture and the MENA in global food trade flows and analyzes to what extent the MENA relies on countries with tropical agriculture in its food trade. Finally, it takes a look at agricultural investment flows from the MENA to the tropics. Associated political and socio-economic issues are analyzed, reasons for a marked implementation gap are identified and finally how such investments might relate to MENA food security strategies is discussed.

The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Middle East and North Africa

This book discusses key issues concerning water, energy and food in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It provides an interdisciplinary account of current developments in the most water-scarce and conflict-torn region in the world. Key analysts on MENA water, agriculture and energy affairs have been drawn together to compile one of the first edited volumes dedicated to the crucial role of water, energy and food security in the 21st century MENA region. It will be of interest to decision-makers, analysts and students of the future of the Middle East from a broad range of disciplines including the physical and social sciences. This book was previously published as a special issue of the International Journal of Water Resources Development.

Conference summary: Tropical Agriculture as ‘Last Frontier’? Food Import Needs of the Middle East and North Africa, Ecological Risks and New Dimensions of South-South Cooperation with Africa, Latin America and South-East Asia (Barcelona, 29–30 January 2015)

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of the most water-stressed regions in the world and its largest net importer of cereals. Affordable food imports are crucial for its future food security. Countries with tropical agriculture like Brazil are playing an increasing role in MENA food supplies. Apart from policy options to sustainably intensify regional agricultural production, trade will play a crucial role in achieving food security in MENA economies. Given the environmental value and sensitivity of tropical ecosystems, sustainable intensification in regions such as Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia is crucial. For this reason, King’s College London, the OCP Policy Center, the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB), the Getulyo Vargas Foundation andWageningen University organized a conference under the title, Tropical Agriculture as ‘Last Frontier’? Food Import Needs of the Middle East and North Africa, Ecological Risks and New Dimensions of South-South Cooperation with Africa, Latin America and South-East Asia. The conference was held 29–30 January 2015 at CIDOB. It provided an interdisciplinary perspective on how to open up opportunities for a new geopoliticalenvironmental cooperation between regions faced by either physical or economic water stress. Over a dozen academic papers were presented, some of which will be published in a special section of the journal Food Security in December 2015. Topics ranged from trade maps and complementarities in food and input provision, to environmental and biophysical risks, to opportunities for greater MENA collaboration with tropical economies and the role of agricultural technology transfer. Particular attention was paid to the impact of climate variability and change on MENA food security and transboundary food dependence. Gender aspects and possible transformation trajectories of farming systems in tropical zones were other issues of concern. The increased interest in farmland investments since the global food crisis of 2008 formed part of many presentations. How social and environmental needs in target countries could be safeguarded to avoid land grabbing was discussed in this context. Tweets of the conference with the hashtag #TropicalMENA were summarized in a Storify file (https://storify.com/CidobBarcelona/tropical-agriculture-as-last-frontier). In his opening keynote speech, John Waterbury, professor emeritus at Princeton University and former president of the American University of Beirut, dealt with processes of policy making in MENA around the water–energy–food nexus. He pointed to the historical concerns of Arab countries regarding reliable food imports that go back to the 1970s when the food gap in the region grew, alongside skyrocketing food prices in global markets and Western musings on curtailing food exports in retaliation for the Arab oil embargo. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2015.1030497 Vol. 31, No. 4, 785–789,