Running Head: PROTECTING WATER, ENERGY AND FOOD SECURITY

Protecting Water, Energy and Food Security

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The Water, food and energy are three, interlinked resources which are critical to
sustaining life. However, according to research, billions of people all over the world go without
clean drinking water, food and electricity. As the population continues to expand in the world, the
number of people living without the three vital resources will only get worse if an immediate
action is not taken to address the issue considering that the three elements are interdependent
(Belinskij, 2015). For instance, if a farmer needs to increase the crop yields, they will require
more energy and water. To generate more energy, they will need more water to cool the power
plant.
To solve the problem, three fundamental stages are needed. To begin with, the water, food
and energy security system needs to be assessed. In this step the current Status and Trends in the
Natural, Built as well as Social Capital must be thoroughly evaluated. Additionally, the past
stresses and adaptations of the three interdependent elements must be understood using a
historical analysis. Finally, the future risks facing the system must be predicted and described
(Vlotman & Ballard, 2014).
The second step is to envision different future scenarios that might arise as a result of the
course of action to be taken. A set of shared principles which can lead to a more desired future
and how the society will benefit from it should be laid down. The principles must be favorable to
the users of the environment. The natural capital such as water and forests and social capital for
example water management groups are discussed against the water, food and energy security
risk. This is as opposed to the traditional way of conserving the resources to meet the future
demand (Perrone & Hornberger, 2013). In this case, a balance must be struck between all the
three resources. Another step would be to identify the Critical Uncertainties and then Craft
Plausible Scenarios. In this stage, experts across the globe need to be consulted and asked what

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they believe to be the most important factors that influence the water, food and energy security
(Wong & Pecora, 2015). Such factors could include urbanization population growth, new
technologies, and new legislations among others. The factors will then be ranked according to
their impact on the nexus.
The experts should then be requested to craft high-level drivers which will ensure the
water, food and energy security in the future such drivers could include the use of alternative
energy sources such as solar energy. The solar energy does not consume water nor does not take
much of the agricultural land since solar panels can be installed on top of buildings. An
additional method would be recycling of water for both domestic and agricultural use. To
generate more power and provide food security, waste management is also crucial. When the
waste is properly managed, there will be less polluting, and hence, the little clean drinking water
will not be contaminated. Another advantage of waste is that it would allow for more energy
generation using biomass. The biomass can later be used to produce fertilizer to boost agriculture
(Pimentel & Pimentel, 2006).
The third and final stage will be to transform the system. To transform the system,
communication is essential. Communication will enable the marketing of the strategies and
create all the necessary financial and public policy. After the communication, the recommended
actions should be implemented. The implementation will require knowledge technical capacity
and personnel. To ensure the sustained security of the water, food and energy security, the
implemented system must frequently be monitored, adapted to the new changes and improved.
This is mainly because it is almost impossible to predict which actions will work and which will
fail in the social, economic and environmental systems (Wong & Pecora, 2015).

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The water food and energy security can be addressed on a global level using an integrated
approach which incorporates governance and management across different sectors as outlined
above. It is the responsibility of all nations and citizens to ensure that the world has food water
and energy security by use of proper policy and caring for the environment.

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References
Belinskij, A. (2015). Water-Energy-Food Nexus within the Framework of International Water
Law. Water, 7(10), 5396-5415. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w7105396
Perrone, D. & Hornberger, G. (2013). Water, food, and energy security: scrambling for resources
or solutions?. Wires Water, 1(1), 49-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1004
Pimentel, D. & Pimentel, M. (2006). Food, energy, and society. Niwot, Co.: University Press of
Colorado.
Vlotman, W. & Ballard, C. (2014). WATER, FOOD AND ENERGY SUPPLY CHAINS FOR A
GREEN ECONOMY. Irrigation And Drainage, 63(2), 232-240.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ird.1835
Wong, K. & Pecora, C. (2015). Recommendations for EnergyWaterFood Nexus Problems.
Journal Of Energy Resources Technology, 137(3), 032002.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/1.4028139