Sustainable irrigation technologies: a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective towards achieving more crop per drop per joule per hectare

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dc.creatorTaguta, C.
dc.creatorDirwai, Tinashe Lindel
dc.creatorSenzanje, A.
dc.creatorSikka, Alok
dc.creatorMabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
dc.date2022-07-01
dc.date2022-07-19T21:22:32Z
dc.date2022-07-19T21:22:32Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T18:40:11Z
dc.descriptionSustainable agricultural intensification requires irrigation methods and strategies to minimize yield penalties while optimizing water, land and energy use efficiencies. We assessed, from a silo-based and integrated water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective, the performance of irrigation technologies in different agro-climatic regions. Secondary to this, we assessed the impact of adopting systematic approaches such as the WEF nexus on improving efficiency in irrigated agriculture through irrigation modernization. The evidence-based perspectives of silo-based performances individually considered the metrics of yield (Y), water use efficiency (WUE), and energy productivity (EP). The WEF nexus approach applied sustainability polygons to integrate the three metrics into a nexus index representing the holistic performance of the irrigation technologies. Silo-based performance in temperate regions suggests net gains for WUE (+1.10 kg m-3 ) and Y (+6.29 ton ha-1 ) when transitioning from furrow to sprinkler irrigation, with a net loss in EP (-3.82 ton MJ-1 ). There is potential for a net loss on EP (-3.33 ton MJ-1 ) when transitioning from furrow to drip system in temperate regions. The best performance of irrigation technologies in dry regions in water, energy and food silos was achieved by sprinkler, drip and furrow irrigation systems, respectively. Thus, appraising irrigation technologies from a silos perspective promotes individual silos, which renders an unsustainable picture of the performance of irrigation systems. The integrative WEF nexus approach successfully highlighted the trade-offs and synergies in the nexus of water, energy and food in irrigated agriculture. Drip irrigation led all irrigation technologies in WEF nexus performance in dry (21.44 unit2 ), tropical (23.98 unit2 ), and temperate regions (47.28 unit2 ). Overall, the irrigation modernization pathway to drip technology from either furrow or sprinkler systems improves irrigated agriculture’s WEF nexus performance in all three regions for more crop per drop per joule per hectare under climate change. This can promote inclusive and sustainable irrigation development within the planetary boundaries.
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/120184
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/162249
dc.languageen
dc.publisherIOP Publishing
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceTaguta, C.; Dirwai, T. L.; Senzanje, A.; Sikka, Alok; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. Sustainable irrigation technologies: a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective towards achieving more crop per drop per joule per hectare. Environmental Research Letters, 17(7):073003. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac7b39]
dc.subjectirrigation systems
dc.subjecttechnology
dc.subjectwater productivity
dc.subjectenergy consumption
dc.subjectfood production
dc.subjectnexus approaches
dc.subjectintegrated management
dc.subjectsustainable agriculture
dc.subjectwater management
dc.subjectwater use efficiency
dc.subjectyields
dc.subjectirrigated farming
dc.subjectmodernization
dc.subjectresilience
dc.subjectsilos
dc.subjectfurrow irrigation
dc.subjectsprinkler irrigation
dc.subjectdrip irrigation
dc.subjectsustainable development goals
dc.titleSustainable irrigation technologies: a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective towards achieving more crop per drop per joule per hectare
dc.typeJournal Article

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