Assessing food, water, and energy security in the Atlantic Forest region of Brazil through the nexus approach
Global food demand is expected to double by 2050, intensifying pressure on water and energy systems. To evaluate sustainable pathways, this study applies a novel Water‑Energy‑Food (WEF) nexus framework using accessible secondary data in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Three rural practices—agroforestry, spring protection and pasture rotation—were assessed against business‑as‑usual conditions. Current trends revealed vulnerabilities in water and energy security, while food security indicators performed more strongly. Expert‑informed scenarios showed that adopting these practices can consistently improve WEF security, demonstrating the multifunctionality of agriculture. The framework offers a practical tool for integrating WEF‑nexus thinking into decision‑making and promoting sustainable rural land use.
Subject Tags
- Forest
- Agroforestry
Abstract
Global agricultural production is on a trajectory to double by 2050 due to both increases in the global population and the dietary changes associated with growing incomes. This also means more pressure on water resources, as agriculture accounts for 70% of global water withdrawal, and for energy production as the whole food supply chain accounts for about 30% of total global energy consumption. Although there are ongoing discussions related to the sustainability of water, energy and food (WEF) sectors, the integration of all three are still rare and challenging. This paper presents a novel methodology framework based on accessible secondary data to evaluate the impacts of three rural practices—agroforestry, spring protection and pasture rotation—on the WEF nexus in Atlantic Forest, southeast of Brazil. The results of the business as usual scenario indicated concern regarding water security, particularly in relation to sewage treatment and water commitment. A comparable pattern was observed in energy security, where only two indicators exhibited positive performance in the analysis. Conversely, a scenario of reduced vulnerability was observed in food security, as evidenced by the indicators of food production, nutritional value and annual gross revenue. However, in the scenarios proposed by experts the adoption of the rural practices that were assessed here can lead to consistent improvements in WEF security, evidencing the multifunctional capabilities of agriculture. Hence, the methodological framework presented here demonstrate its potential to be incorporated into decision-making processes to promote the multifunctionality of agriculture and sustainable use of rural areas.
Citation
Turetta, A. P. D., Távora, G. G., Fidalgo, E. C. C., Montalvão, M. T. L., Prado, R. B., Moster, C., ... & da Silva Martins, A. L. (2025). Assessing food, water, and energy security in the Atlantic Forest region of Brazil through the nexus approach. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 26, 100706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2025.100706
TNC Authors
-
Maria Tereza Leite Montalvão
Program Analyst, Conservation Strategy
The Nature Conservancy
Email: maite.montalvao@tnc.org