ajay k jha

Food-Water-Energy Nexus Climate Change Adaptation

& Sustainable Livelihood

Dr. Ajay K Jha ajay.jha@colostate.edu

Global Issues

• Water and sanitation for billions

• Agriculture uses vast quantities of water

• Large scale water transfers

• Small farm rely food production using Irrigation

• Reclamation projects have great influence

• Irrigation return flow affects WQ

• Farm and city cooperation is possible

• Farm policy and water policy are linked

Understanding Nexus

• Where and how these three systems interconnect?

• Water and energy: produce food for billions

• Energy used for moving water, and clean up the water and sending down the drain

• Water is required to run power plants and to produce oil, gas and coal

• Some food crops are turned into fuel for vehicles

U.S. Status: Water, Energy, and Food

Example:

• Water nourishes corn

• Corn is used for ethanol and food

• Ethanol competes with food for corn

• Policy to promote ethanol impacts food, energy, and water

Food

Water

Energy

Natural systems

+ Infrastructure

Society Economy

Health Prosperity

• Natural systems plus infrastructure provide water • Water is essential for food and energy production • Food, energy and water nourish society and the environment • Food, energy and water create health and prosperity • Food and energy impact water and natural systems

Nexus: System Interactions

FIGURE 1. FRAMEWORK SUGGESTED FOR THE BONN2011 NEXUS CONFERENCE: THE WATER, ENERGY AND FOOD SECURITY NEXUS Source: Hoff, 2011.

Climate Change

Competing Uses for Limited

Water Supply

Recreation Municipal and

Industrial

Agriculture

The vulnerability of Agriculture to Climate Change

Courtesy: http://agricbiz.com/farming/challenges/the-vulnerability-of-agriculture-to-climate-change/

Western U.S. Irrigation

Colorado Historic Average Annual Stream Flows

(acre feet)

YAMPA

WHITE NORTH FORK

REPUBLICAN

McELMO

CONEJOS

GUNNISON

COLORADO

1,656,000

590,100

4,632,000

421,600

1,143,000

419,300

316,900 119,900

37,750

37,950 26,100

680,500 179,000 469,600

+

301,400 64,400

239,400

328,400

659,800

399,500

154,800

601,000

174,100

222,400

956,400

337,200

556,200

301,400

274,100

1,896,000

127,500

32,400

317,800 98,700

52,570

49,860

163,200 89,920

725,400

532,900

912,500

419,900

334,800

46,480 487,300

230,500

185,200

408,900

32,280

13,980

68,100

19,500 HUERFANO

29,620

24,970

33,760

55,400 86,700

61,400

128,000

277,600

226,800

420,200

928,100

269,500 100,700

674,800

161,300

51,320 29,280

155,400

6

5

2

1

3 4

7

573,100

282,00

0

2,843,000

337,900

57,740 89,990

EA

ST

TO

WA

RD

AT

LA

NT

IC O

CE

AN

1

,47

8,0

00

af

WE

ST

TO

WA

RD

PA

CIF

IC O

CE

AN

9

,24

8,0

00

af

TOTAL LEAVING COLORADO 10,726,000 af

ROARING

FORK

EAGLE

BLUE

TOMICHI

94,180

Water Use

in the

Western US

Increased Water

Demand by Basins &

Estimated Acres Lost

Basin Anticipated Population

Growth

Additional Water Needed

(ac ft.)

Total Irrigated Acres in Basin

Estimated Loss of

Irrigated Acres

South Platte

+ 65% 409,700 1,000,500 179,500

Arkansas + 55% 98,000 538,100 47,500

Rio Grande

+ 35% 4,300 632,700 80,000

Source: Colorado Water Conservation Board, SWSI Executive Summary

State

Engineer

CO Dept. of Public Health and Environment

(CDPHE) Denver Water Dept.

Denver Metro

Reclamation

CDPHE

CDPHE

State Engineer

Northern

Water

Examples of the institutional water map in Colorado

Water Footprint

Water-borne Diseases

Production and Processing

Systems

Food

Systems

Health

Status

Contamination

•Microbial

•Chemical

•Toxic Metals

Energy and

Nutrient

Balance

Growth Retardation

Reduced Disease Resistance

Anemia

Blindness

Chronic Diseases

Food Safety

Water Safety

Sanitation

Hygiene

Food/Feed Systems

and Human Health

Toxins and Allergens

Zoonotic Pathogens

Drugs and Medicinal Plants

Occupational Hazards

HIV/AIDS

Indoor Air Pollution

Water use efficiency and

small farm irrigation

Food/Nutrition & Human Health

Energy use efficiency and

alternate sources

Food, Water, Energy Nexus

Climate Adaption Strategies

Integrated Climate Adaptation

Nepal Gandaki River Basin (GRB) Project

• Climate change (temp, ppt,

drought) assessment for

vulnerability

• Demonstration of smart and

proven technologies for climate

change adaptation, water

efficiency

• Adaptive capacity

enhancement of stakeholders

• Policy recommendation by

engaging scientific, govt., civil

society and enterprise.

Soil and water conservation – demonstration • Drip and furrow irrigation for fodder yield • Legume and cereal crops – intercropping • Drought resilient fodder species • Weather stations –temp, ppt and RH • Farmer’s and local stakeholder

engagement

Building Climate Resiliency

Water Efficiency

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

DripFurrow

Flood

Water Applied (m3)

Yield

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

DripFurrow

Flood

1 mt. High Wooden shaft

Recycle and Re-use industry

Urban Farming Around the World City dwellers cultivate and provide fresh, organic produce to neighbors, friends and customers

Jha-Dinntek_Sage_2012 30

Sun to Sateliite Region

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 1

Partner Center for Advanced Studies in Water

PCASW

Sustainable Solution

• Multi-disciplinary/multi-thronged and stakeholder driven

• Need of new generation of educators, researchers and innovators

• An innovative and collaborative platform for developing technologies, sharing knowledge and data for adoption of best practices and methods : Co-Design-Co-Create and Co-Implement and Co-Assess the impact

• Optimize water use, intensive sustainable food production (climate smart seeds, ag inputs), and efficient energy use Bottom line…. protecting planet and limited natural resources is key otherwise Homo Sapiens extinction is looming around corner!

Points to ponder on the way forward .....

THANK YOU