| Title | Integrated Approach for Supporting Sustainable Water Resources Management of Irrigation Based on the WEFN Framework |
| Abstract | Irrigated agriculture plays a vital role for the socio-economic development of the Mediterranean area, although it has significant impacts on both water and energy resources. Therefore, in a context in which water resources are also experiencing increasing pressures, there is an urgent need for supporting their sustainable management. This may be an extremely challenging task, especially at the local scale, due to the several interconnected dynamics affecting the state of a complex irrigation system. In fact, multiple actors are involved in decision-making processes, and the use of natural resources (and their mutual interactions) strongly depends on their behaviors, which affect the system as a whole. In this context, the present study proposes an integrated methodology, based on the Water Energy Food Nexus (WEFN), specifically focused on the sustainable management of water resources for irrigation. Firstly, a model based on Causal Loop Diagrams (CLD) is developed in order to get a deep insight into the key dynamics behind a complex irrigation system. Secondly, three indices based on the "footprint" concept are identified, in order to synthesize such dynamics. The integration of these two approaches support investigating the whole system and, particularly, understanding the influence of multiple decisional actors on it, as well as the role of a set of key drivers and constraints. This might also allow drawing some relevant conclusions, useful for supporting effective decisions oriented to a sustainable water resources management. Specific reference is made to a case study, the Capitanata irrigation system, located in the Southern Italy. |
| Source | Water resources management (Dordr., Online) 33 |
| Keywords | sustainable water resources managementwater-energy-food nexusirrigation systemindex-based approachcausal loop diagram |
| Journal | Water resources management (Dordr., Online) |
| Editor | Kluwer, Dordrecht, Paesi Bassi |
| Year | 2019 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11269-019-2196-5 |
| Authors | Rossella de Vito; Alessandro Pagano; Ivan Portoghese; Raffaele Giordano; Michele Vurro; Umberto Fratino |
| Text | 399818 2019 10.1007/s11269 019 2196 5 ISI Web of Science WOS WOS 000460836100003 Scopus 2 s2.0 85061458046 sustainable water resources management water energy food nexus irrigation system index based approach causal loop diagram Integrated Approach for Supporting Sustainable Water Resources Management of Irrigation Based on the WEFN Framework Rossella de Vito; Alessandro Pagano; Ivan Portoghese; Raffaele Giordano; Michele Vurro; Umberto Fratino Istituto di Ricerca Sulle acque del CNR e DICATECh Politecnico di Bari , Istituto di Ricerca Sulle acque del CNR, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle acque del CNR, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle acque del CNR, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle acque del CNR, DICATECh Politecnico di Bari Irrigated agriculture plays a vital role for the socio economic development of the Mediterranean area, although it has significant impacts on both water and energy resources. Therefore, in a context in which water resources are also experiencing increasing pressures, there is an urgent need for supporting their sustainable management. This may be an extremely challenging task, especially at the local scale, due to the several interconnected dynamics affecting the state of a complex irrigation system. In fact, multiple actors are involved in decision making processes, and the use of natural resources and their mutual interactions strongly depends on their behaviors, which affect the system as a whole. In this context, the present study proposes an integrated methodology, based on the Water Energy Food Nexus WEFN , specifically focused on the sustainable management of water resources for irrigation. Firstly, a model based on Causal Loop Diagrams CLD is developed in order to get a deep insight into the key dynamics behind a complex irrigation system. Secondly, three indices based on the footprint concept are identified, in order to synthesize such dynamics. The integration of these two approaches support investigating the whole system and, particularly, understanding the influence of multiple decisional actors on it, as well as the role of a set of key drivers and constraints. This might also allow drawing some relevant conclusions, useful for supporting effective decisions oriented to a sustainable water resources management. Specific reference is made to a case study, the Capitanata irrigation system, located in the Southern Italy. 33 Published version https //link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11269 019 2196 5 Integrated Approach for Supporting Sustainable Water Resources Management of Irrigation Based on the WEFN Framework Vito2019_Article_IntegratedApproachForSupportin_published.pdf Articolo in rivista Kluwer 1573 1650 Water resources management Dordr., Online Water resources management Dordr., Online Water resour. manag. Dordr., Online Water resources management. Dordr., Online raffaele.giordano GIORDANO RAFFAELE ivan.portoghese PORTOGHESE IVAN alessandro.pagano PAGANO ALESSANDRO michele.vurro VURRO MICHELE |
