Nature-Based Solutions for Optimizing the Water–Ecosystem–Food Nexus in Mediterranean Countries

Silvia Vanino, Valentina Baratella (), Tiziana Pirelli, Donato Ferrari, Antonella Di Fonzo, Fabrizio Pucci, Nikolaos P. Nikolaidis, Maria A. Lilli, Zübeyde Albayram Doğan, Tuncay Topdemir, Sami Awabdeh, Luna Al-Hadidi, Nabeel Bani Hani, Andreas Panagopoulos, Vassilios Pisinaras, Anna Chatzi, Estrella López, Christina Papadaskalopoulou, Dimitris Tassopoulos, Efstathia Chatzitheodorou, Alessandro Pagano, Raffaele Giordano, Ivan Portoghese, Esteban Henao, Anna Osann and Stefano Fabiani
Additional contact information
Silvia Vanino: Centro Agricoltura e Ambiente, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy
Valentina Baratella: Centro Agricoltura e Ambiente, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, Italy
Tiziana Pirelli: Centro di Politiche e Bioeconomia, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Via Barberini, 00187 Rome, Italy
Donato Ferrari: Centro di Politiche e Bioeconomia, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Via Barberini, 00187 Rome, Italy
Antonella Di Fonzo: Centro di Politiche e Bioeconomia, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Via Barberini, 00187 Rome, Italy
Fabrizio Pucci: Centro di Politiche e Bioeconomia, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Via Barberini, 00187 Rome, Italy
Nikolaos P. Nikolaidis: School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
Maria A. Lilli: School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
Zübeyde Albayram Doğan: International Agricultural Research and Training Center (UTAEM), 35660 İzmir, Türkiye
Tuncay Topdemir: International Agricultural Research and Training Center (UTAEM), 35660 İzmir, Türkiye
Sami Awabdeh: National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), P.O. Box 639, Baq’a 19381, Jordan
Luna Al-Hadidi: National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), P.O. Box 639, Baq’a 19381, Jordan
Nabeel Bani Hani: National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), P.O. Box 639, Baq’a 19381, Jordan
Andreas Panagopoulos: Soil and Water Resources Institute (SWRI), Gorgopotamou Str., 57400 Sindos, Greece
Vassilios Pisinaras: Soil and Water Resources Institute (SWRI), Gorgopotamou Str., 57400 Sindos, Greece
Anna Chatzi: Soil and Water Resources Institute (SWRI), Gorgopotamou Str., 57400 Sindos, Greece
Estrella López: Asociación Ecoadapta, 28012 Madrid, Spain
Christina Papadaskalopoulou: DRAXIS Environmental S.A., 54-56 Themistokli Sofouli Str., 54655 Thessaloniki, Greece
Dimitris Tassopoulos: DRAXIS Environmental S.A., 54-56 Themistokli Sofouli Str., 54655 Thessaloniki, Greece
Efstathia Chatzitheodorou: DRAXIS Environmental S.A., 54-56 Themistokli Sofouli Str., 54655 Thessaloniki, Greece
Alessandro Pagano: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque (CNR-IRSA), Viale F. de Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy
Raffaele Giordano: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque (CNR-IRSA), Viale F. de Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy
Ivan Portoghese: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque (CNR-IRSA), Viale F. de Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy
Esteban Henao: AgrisSat Iberia SL, Paseo de la Innovación nº1, 02006 Albacete, Spain
Anna Osann: AgrisSat Iberia SL, Paseo de la Innovación nº1, 02006 Albacete, Spain
Stefano Fabiani: Centro di Politiche e Bioeconomia, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Via Barberini, 00187 Rome, Italy

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 10, 1-21

Abstract: Nature-based solutions (NBSs), defined as actions that work with and enhance nature, providing environmental, social, and economic benefits, play a pivotal role in accomplishing multiple objectives within the Water–Ecosystem–Food Nexus domain. They contribute to facilitating the transition to more resilient agrifood systems and providing an evidence base for a broader Nexus policy dialogue. This paper describes the stepwise methodology developed in the EU-funded LENSES project to carry out a comprehensive analysis of NBSs in six pilot areas in five Mediterranean countries and presents the results of NBS implementation in four pilot areas, highlighting obstacles and opportunities. The methodology includes the development of an analytical evaluation framework and a comprehensive catalogue of Nexus-related NBSs, whose suitability needs to be assessed at the local level to achieve better use of protected/natural ecosystems, increase the sustainability and multifunctionality of managed ecosystems, and design and manage novel ecosystems. Subsequently, in a collective learning process that supported the operationalisation of the WEF Nexus, NBSs were identified that address specific contextual vulnerabilities, improve water distribution, and enhance food security while preserving ecosystems and supporting adaptation to climate change. The added value of the proposed methodology lies in the multi-stakeholder participatory approach to gain in-depth knowledge of local agri-food systems, including their main WEF-related challenges, and to facilitate overcoming barriers to NBS implementation. Finally, a final survey was conducted among a small group of purposively selected stakeholders to gain some insight into their perceptions of the impact of NBS and to gather some opinions on the main barriers and opportunities.

Keywords: nexus; sustainability; biodiversity; water-food security; resilience; water distribution; food security; ecosystem services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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