Water-Energy-Food Nexus of Sugarcane Production in Ethiopia

Globally, the human population is facing difficulties vis-a-vis the ability to secure a sustainable supply of water, food, and energy due to the rising number of population, urbanization, globalization, and so on. The Ethiopian government has given emphasis on sugar and ethanol production from sugarcane, which will highly increase water and energy utilization in Ethiopia. The study aims to assess the water-energy-food nexus (WEFN) in the sugarcane production sector of Ethiopia. The set of indicators considering the consumption, mass, and economic productivity of water and energy in three different sugarcane producing factories in Ethiopia (Wonji-Shoa, Metehara, and Fincha) has been applied. An integrated indicator, so-called "water-energy-food nexus index (WEFNI)," is calculated to identify and compare the WEFN performance of the study sites. The assessment results helped to understand the water-energy-sugarcane relationships. The best nexus performance was found for Wonji Shoa, which has the highest WEFNI score that is, 0.63, followed by Fincha (0.47) and Metehara (0.45). The nexus assessment showed that the higher energy use in Wonji Shoa due to the modern irrigation technology implemented can be compensated by the reduction of water loss and productivity improvement, which finally lead to the increased WEFNI score. Recommendations such as adoption of modern irrigation system and substitution of fertilizers by filter cake are made for improving the WEFN of sugarcane cultivation. This study helps producers and stakeholders to understand their management performance and take actions to improve their productivity, profit, and resource management.