SustainFood at WEFE Nexus International Conference
SustainFood at WEFE Nexus International Conference
By: Laura Snyder
The Mediterranean region is uniquely affected by climate change and has consequently emerged as a global leader in sustainable development and resource management. The WEFE Nexus International Conference took place at the Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II in Rabat, Morocco, from February 11-15. Organized by BONEX and SureNexus and funded by SustainFood partner organization PRIMA, the conference provided WEFE frameworks for policymakers addressing challenges related to water, food, energy, and ecosystems. The event explored governance frameworks for effective WEFE resource management, highlighted the critical role of gender in Nexus approaches, and showcased innovative solutions, including ancestral resource management practices and analytical tools.
The BONEX project aims to provide practical and adapted tools, examine concrete and context-adapted technological innovations, enhance policies and governance and facilitate WEFe Nexus practical implementation that balances the social, economic, and ecological trade-offs. BONEX hosts demonstrations of sustainable agricultural technologies such as smart greenhouses and desalination in the Mediterranean region, including Morocco, Italy, Portugal, Jordan, Lebanon, Spain, and Tunisia. These demonstrations are models of successful sustainable WEF resource management and provide inspiration for policymakers in EU and Noth African countries to pursue sustainable development.
SureNexus addresses water instability in the Mediterranean region through a network of community-led practices that implement sustainable technologies within the WEFE Nexus. These interconnected projects tackle poverty and climate challenges by providing solutions for water sanitation, sustainable economic development, and food security. By fostering local efforts, SureNexus creates a collaborative network that empowers communities to share knowledge and best practices, contributing to a global vision of sustainability.
The WEFE Nexus International Conference brought together researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and practitioners to explore solutions for sustainable development. The conference theme, “Exploring and Bridging Nexus for a Sustainable Future,” was addressed by dozens of speakers from around the world, including Dr. Michael Jacobson and Dr. Bassel Daher, both active participants in the SustainFood Network.
Dr. Jacobson, a professor of forest resources at Penn State University, spoke on policy and institutional frameworks for water, energy, and food, emphasizing their role in sustainable development. His work integrates teaching and research to develop innovative solutions within the WEFE Nexus, with a focus on bioenergy, finance, and economics.
Dr. Daher, Assistant Director for Sustainable Development at the Texas A&M Energy Institute, Adjunct Assistant Professor in Biological & Agricultural Engineering, and Research Fellow at the Institute for Science, Technology, and Public Policy at Texas A&M University, delivered a keynote speech highlighting the role of analytics and governance in enabling sustainable systems transformation through case studies from Texas, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon. He also examined both the opportunities and the barriers to leveraging IoT and AI technologies to enhance WEFE nexus management.
The WEFE Nexus International Conference facilitated the application of knowledge and emerging technologies to complex challenges in WEFE sustainability. The conference provided a dynamic platform for progress by mobilizing and testing existing tools, operationalizing new approaches, and scaling solutions from local to international levels. BONEX hosts demonstrations of sustainable agricultural technologies across the Mediterranean region, including Morocco, Italy, Portugal, Jordan, Lebanon, Spain, and Tunisia. These demonstrations serve as models for successful WEFE resource management and offer inspiration for EU policymakers to pursue sustainable development initiatives.
