by ndw5072 | Jun 30, 2025 | Events, News
Sustain Food Network Champions Systems Thinking and Global Partnerships at
DNC2025
By: Zeeshan Tahir Virk
The Dresden Nexus Conference 2025 (DNC2025) from 8th – 10th April 2025 served as a powerful stage for the SustainFood Network to showcase its leadership in advancing systems thinking, integrated resource governance, and global collaboration for sustainable development. From redefining theoretical foundations to tackling the pressing challenges of migration and resource insecurity, SustainFood members; Prof. Abdullah Konak, Dr. Bassel Daher, Dr. Annette Huber-Lee and Mr. Zeeshan Tahir Virk hosted and participated in various sessions during the conference and played a central role in shaping the discourse on the resources’ nexus throughout the three-day event in Dresden, Germany.
Tackling Climate-Driven Migration through Nexus Resilience
Dr. Bassel Daher, Assistant Director for Sustainable Development at Texas A&M organized and contributed to the special session “Building Nexus Resilience: Addressing Migration and Conflicts in
Water-Energy-Food Systems.” The session brought together experts from the IOM, FAO, IWMI, and PRIMA Foundation to address the complex links between resource insecurity, forced migration, and fragile governance systems. Highlights from the session were published in a communication brief which included key research gaps and open research questions. A recording of the session can also be found on webinar series webpage.
Dr. Daher highlighted the urgent need to integrate human mobility dynamics into resource modeling and planning frameworks. By advocating for anticipatory action and systems approaches, the session advanced a roadmap for embedding migration within climate and development policies, a step essential for building resilience in vulnerable regions.
Dr. Daher also contributed a talk titled “Training Systems Thinkers of the Future: The Power of Project-Based Interdisciplinary Learning” in the session on Advancing a Curriculum of the Resource Nexus. The talk highlighted how project-based learning fosters critical systems thinking, adaptive decision making, and stakeholder engagement, all essential skills for future sustainability leaders.
Redefining the Nexus for Real-World Impact
Mr. Zeeshan Tahir Virk, a rising voice in the Nexus community and an alumnus of the SustainFood Collaborative Learning School-2024, delivered a compelling intervention on the evolving definition of the Nexus in the session “A Robust Definition of the Nexus”. Dr. Annette Huber-Lee, a co-principal investigator of Sustain Food at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), also joined this session online which was moderated by and featured renowned scholars in the resource nexus discourse. She reflected on the conceptual evolution of the Nexus since its emergence in 2011.
Based on learnings from the session and insights gathered from over 250 global stakeholder survey responses, the session culminated in a policy brief titled “Redefining the Nexus: From Concept to Coherent Action”. The brief proposes a new definition of the “Resource Nexus” as a systems-based framework that moves beyond the water-energy-food (WEF) triad to incorporate a wider spectrum of environmental and socio-economic interconnections. The definition emphasizes the role of governance, the integration of biophysical and social systems, and the need for inclusive, equity-centered planning. By doing so, the Resource Nexus aims to bridge the gap between high-level ambitions and local realities, offering guidance to policymakers, practitioners, and donors alike.
In addition to contributing to the proposed new definition of the resource nexus, Mr. Virk launched the horizon scan for Nexus research and policy during the session. Looking to the future, the SustainFood Network in collaboration with University of Oulu and NexusNet EU has launched a strategic foresight initiative to explore emerging trends, critical challenges, and frontier questions in Nexus thinking. This effort seeks to identify the 100 most important questions for the future of Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus research and policy. By engaging the Nexus epistemic community in this collective endeavor, the scan will map the
future trajectory of the Nexus approach and establish shared priorities to guide impactful, inclusive, and coordinated action in the years to come
Accelerating Network-to-Network Collaboration
For Prof. Abdullah Konak, one of the Co-PIs of Sustain Food, DNC2025 was a celebration of global connection made tangible. After months of virtual engagement, Prof. Konak met face-to-face with fellow SustainFood collaborators, including Bassel Daher and members of the Belmont Forum Africa Call team.
Prof. Konak also participated in the panel “Systems Approach for Disaster Risk Reduction,” further reinforcing SustainFood’s role in framing WEF Nexus solutions for complex risk environments. He emphasized how network-to-network collaborations fostered by AccelNet evolved into deep, interdisciplinary partnerships capable of addressing sustainability challenges that transcend national and institutional boundaries.
Looking Ahead: A Community in Motion
From foundational debates to applied policy solutions, the SustainFood Network’s contributions at DNC2025 reflected the full spectrum of Nexus thinking rooted in rigorous research, enriched by cross-regional collaboration, and driven by a shared vision of sustainability and resilience. As the Network continues to foster dialogue, build bridges, and shape next-generation solutions, its role as a catalyst for global change is more vital than ever.
by ndw5072 | Jun 30, 2025 | Events, News, Uncategorized
SustainFood participates in Southern Africa Regional WEF+ Nexus Summit, 19-20 August 2024
By: Chris Scott
Date: 23 September 2024
Chris Scott, Penn State Co-Principal Investigator on the SustainFood network project, attended and presented at the international event, Accelerating Progress Towards Achieving the SDGs through Broadening the Water-Energy-Food (WEF+) Nexus, hosted by the South African Water Research Commission in Pretoria. In attendance were delegates from countries across Africa, Europe, and North America, who presented and discussed how the WEF Nexus can be expanded to address other challenges including the environment and health, especially to help local and regional partners make further progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In his presentation, Transdisciplinary WEF+ Science and Practice Networks SustainFood as a USA-Africa-Europe SDG 17 “Partnership for the Goals, Scott identified additional WEF+ challenges, including
climate, carbon, and migration, which the SustainFood network is working to address. More significantly, he made the point that networks like SustainFood require a transdisciplinary approach of researchers
and scientists partnering with policymakers, planners, communities, and regional groupings like many that were represented at the regional summit. These network-to-network interactions (a core goal of the
National Science Foundation’s AccelNet program that supports SustainFood) are examples of SDG 17 “Partnerships for the Goals”.
The summit provided an opportunity to develop and extend SustainFood’s WEF Nexus-focused networking, including with a Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) WEF Nexus Dialogue
Project supported by the EU, with South African partner University of KwaZulu-Natal that is joining forces with the UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health to develop the African Academy on
Water, Environment, and Health. As part of his travels to the region, Scott also met with global WEF Nexus scholar, Mohammad Al-Saidi, of Qatar University and the Qatar National Research Foundation, and explored mutual interests in SustainFood plans in North Africa in 2025
by ndw5072 | Dec 16, 2024 | Events, News
Call for Applications for the 2025 Collaborative Learning School in Nigeria
The Sustainfood project is pleased to announce a call for applications for a Water-Energy-Food Nexus Collaborative Learning School in Nigeria, May 5-16, 2025. The Collaborative Learning School (CLS) is a field-based workshop led by U.S., European and African scientists and practitioners. The CLS connects participants with farmers, policymakers, and other stakeholders at the community level to assess food security challenges and identify innovative solutions using the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus framework.
For more information see
by ndw5072 | Nov 12, 2024 | Events, News
Global Entrepreneurship Week
SustainFood Entrepreneurship Conversations:
Building a Culture of Innovation & Entrepreneurship: A Multi-Level Approach
Thursday 21st November 2024, 9 AM (Webinar)
Synopsis:
A university culture of innovation and entrepreneurship benefits students, faculty, and the
institution. However, building such a culture can be difficult, given limited resources and varied
stakeholders. We propose a multi-level approach, ranging from one-off workshops to multi-day
events to course projects to curricular structures. We describe our experiences in a variety of
contexts, and share lessons learned and ideas for future directions.
Presenters:
Dr. Clif Kussmaul
Clif Kussmaul, PhD, is Principal Consultant at Green Mango Associates, which focuses on software development, and
helping college and high school faculty to implement research-based learning practices. Formerly, he was Associate
Professor at Muhlenberg College, Chief Technology Officer at Elegance Technologies, Senior Member of Technical Staff at
NeST Technologies, and Assistant Professor at Moravian College. He has led workshops and worked with faculty around
the world, and was a Fulbright Specialist in Vietnam and Ghana and a Fulbright-Nehru Scholar in India.
Dr. Peter Carlos Okantey
Peter is the founder and president of the Palm University Foundation, Portland, Oregon, USA, and Palm University, Accra,
Ghana. He has over twenty (20) years of professional work experience, including founding and managing a consulting
business and non-profit organization, working within the private and non-profit sectors in leadership positions in Ghana
and the United States. Peter holds a Doctorate and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Strategic Leadership
from Regent University’s School of Business and Leadership, Virginia, USA. He holds a Master of Science degree (MSc.) in
Management and Organizational Leadership and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration both from
Warner Pacific University, Portland, Oregon. He taught at Portland State University’s School of Business in Portland,
Oregon, in the United States for a couple of years. He acted as Director and taught as a full-time faculty at the William
Ofori-Atta Institute of Integrity at Central University, Miotso, Ghana. He has been teaching at Palm University for 12 years,
since its inception. Peter is the founder and president of the Palm University in Accra, Ghana.
by ndw5072 | Oct 31, 2024 | Events, News
Nexus Implementation: Potential and Opportunities
This two-day online workshop, organized by United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES), SustainFood, NexusNet, PRIMA, and GIZ, advances technical and policy-oriented research skills related to nexus topics. Through 20 sessions with expert speakers, including from the CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains, participants will gain valuable insights and practical guidelines for effectively integrating nexus approaches into their case studies – strengthening their research’s impact and rigor. The sessions cover:
- A selection of case studies: The workshop will explore methodologies for the selection and design of case studies pertinent to nexus research on different environmental resources, including water, energy, food, climate, ecosystems, soil, material, and space.
- Data integration: The session will address the complexities of accessing and integrating data from diverse sources to enhance the robustness of research outcomes.
- Stakeholder involvement: Participants will discuss criteria for the selection and commitment of stakeholders to ensure meaningful and impactful research collaborations.
- Application of practical tools: The workshop will evaluate the use of practical tools and knowledge derived from real-world applications to strengthen case study research.
View the full programme here
Register Here
Speakers
- Assist. Prof Giannis Adamos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
- Prof Alexey Alekseenko, UNU-FLORES, Dresden, Germany
- Dr Muzna Alvi, International Food Policy Research Institute, Delhi
- Ghada Amin, UNU-FLORES, Dresden, Germany
- Dr Saroj Kumar Chapagain, UNU-FLORES, Dresden, Germany
- Admore Chiumia, Innovator Speaker Green Impact Technology, Malawi
- Prof Serena Coetzee, UNU-FLORES, Dresden, Germany
- Dr Bassel Daher, Texas A&M University, United States
- Prof Edeltraud Günther, Director UNU-FLORES, Dresden, Germany
- Prof Michael Jacobson, SustainFood, Penn State University, Pennsylvania, United States
- Dr Riina Jalonen, Alliance of Bioversity international and CIAT
- Prof Daniel Karthe, UNU-FLORES, Dresden, Germany
- Sabina Khan, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Dr Dimitris Kofinas, University of Thessaly, Greece
- Robert Kranefeld, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Bonn, Germany
- Prof Chrysi Laspidou, NexusNet, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
- Acacia Leakey, Innovator Speaker Turkana Basin Institute, Kenya
- Taha Loghmani, UNU-FLORES, Dresden, Germany
- Dr Mir Matin, UNU-INWEH, Richmond Hill, Canada
- Caro Mooren, KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
- Dr Natalia Ruiz Morato, UNU-FLORES, Dresden, Germany
- Dr Lamnganbi Mutum, International Water Management Institute, India
- Dr Giulio Pattanaro, European Research Executive Agency, Brussels, Belgium
- Dr Mirela Sertić Perić, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Prof Ali Rhouma, PRIMA Foundation, Spain
- Dieter Rothenberger, Cluster Coordinator Water, GIZ, Bonn, Germany
- Dr Shisher Shresta, International Water Management Institute, Nepal
- Dr Ana Sopina, University of Zagreb, Croatia
- Dr Octavi Quintana Trias, Director of PRIMA Foundation, Barcelona, Spain
- Cecilia Vey, GIZ, Bonn, Germany
- Dr Tamara Zaninović, University of Zagreb, Croatia
- Dr Azin Zarei, UNU-FLORES, Dresden, Germany
