Sustainable resource management has become a major worldwide governance concern over the last three decades.

The challenge is growing as the demand for natural resources increases exponentially with
population and economic growth. Water, energy, and food securities are inextricably linked, with usage within one sector influencing the use and availability in the adjacent sectors.

Since 2011, the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus has been investigated by many actors, each approaching their analyses with their niche or sector in mind, be they political, social, or scientific perspectives.

The WEF nexus is an approach that considers the interactions, synergies and trade-offs of water, energy and food when undertaking the management of these resources.

Please join us as our esteemed panel of experts help us make sense of this approach to addressing some of the most pressing issues confronting our country today.

WATCH THE WEBINAR

DATE: 1 October 2021

TIME: 10:00 – 12:30am

Prof Stephanie Midgley: Dynamics of the water-energy-food nexus at household and farm level in South Africa: A useful approach to strengthening local livelihoods and wellbeing?
Prof Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi: Assessing progress towards sustainable development goals through nexus planning.
Prof Sylvester Mpandeli: The water-energy-food nexus as an adaptation strategy for achieving food security in South Africa.

Speakers

Prof Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi is the Co-Director for the Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He holds a BSc Honours Crop Science from the University of Zimbabwe and an MSc and PhD in Crop Science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal with specialisation in crop ecophysiology (plant-water relations) and crop-climate modelling. He conducts multi- and transdisciplinary research covering food systems, global environmental change and the water-energy-food nexus. His goal is to work on research and development that is dynamic, transformative, informs policy and achieves real-life impacts within poor communities.

Dr Stephanie Midgley holds an MSc (Agric) and PhD (Botany) and has 30 years’ experience in botanical /agricultural /climate change research in South Africa and the Southern African region. Her main fields of expertise are agricultural production technologies to improve yield, product quality and water use efficiency and to reduce climate risk; climate variability, climate change impact, vulnerability and adaptation as well as climate-related disasters particularly relating to agriculture; and Climate Smart Agriculture and sustainable natural resource use. Dr Midgley has a strong track record in scientific publications, conducts regular technology transfer to the agricultural sector, and has received several awards for outstanding research and leading the team that developed the SmartAgri Plan for the Western Cape agricultural sector.