A New Flexible and Widely Software to Achieve Sustainable Agriculture based on Water-Energy-Food Nexus

Rezvan Khosravi (), Arash Azari () and Ali Bafkar ()
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Rezvan Khosravi: Razi University
Arash Azari: Razi University
Ali Bafkar: Razi University

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), 2024, vol. 38, issue 13, No 9, 5123-5141

Abstract: Abstract Considering the unsustainability of the current situation in terms of coordinated management of water, food, and energy consumption, per capita water and energy consumption in Iran have a significant gap compared to the consumption patterns in developed countries and the world. In some seasons, water consumption in Iran is 2 to 3 times higher than the global standard. There is no accurate statistical data in Iran regarding water consumption, cultivated land, crop production, and many other agricultural structural information. On the other hand, agriculture and food are associated with water, fertilizer, and energy consumption, which result in significant environmental damage, and as we know, climate change is one of the most challenging environmental issues. To investigate the conditions of sustainable agriculture based on Water, Energy, Food Nexus (WEFN) and environmental impacts, it was decided to develop a model to accelerate computations and create a database. Therefore, in this study, a computer model called MIDtoCP was designed for data receiving and processing, which is based on Water, Energy, Food Nexus. The model was designed using the C# programming language in the Visual Studio 2018 environment, and Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 2018 was used for data storage in the database. Since the utilization interdependence of Water, Energy, Food is crucial in sustainable management and agriculture, this model utilizes the triple interdependence of these resources as the primary basis for agricultural management. Six indices, including water consumption, energy consumption, water productivity, energy productivity, water economic efficiency, and energy economic efficiency, are calculated using the interdependence concept. These indexes are calculated and utilized in the model through programming. The results demonstrate that the developed model has the capability to receive and process the necessary information for each product separately, at the field or basin level, based on the Water, Energy, Food Nexus. Furthermore, according to the available information, environmental evaluation based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is another advantage of this model, as it enables the investigation of agricultural impacts on the environment at various field or regional levels.

Keywords: Water; Energy; Food Nexus; Life Cycle Assessment LCA; MIDtoCP model; Agricultural sustainability; Farm management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s11269-024-03904-x

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