46
S. Liphadzi et al.
3 Evolution of WEF Nexus Research in South Africa
Evidence on WEF nexus research in South Africa shows that the World Wide Fund for
Nature-South Africa (WWF-SA) started working on the approach in 2014 when they
published a series of reports on the WEF nexus published in the same year. Popular
titles of WWF-SA publications include: (a) climate change, the food–energy–water
nexus and food security in South Africa [16], (b) the food–energy–water nexus:
understanding South Africa’s most urgent sustainability challenge [86], and (c) water,
energy and food: a review of integrated planning in South Africa [27]. Although the
WRC created a flagship programme in 2011 (WEF Nexus Lighthouse) to direct
WEF nexus research in the country and southern Africa, it started producing positive
results and making an impact after 2014. This is because of project cycles that can
take up to four years.
Since then, the WRC has developed flagship innovations on the WEF nexus that
include: (a) WEF nexus research needs in South Africa [39]; (b) linking the WEF
nexus to resource security [40]; (c) WEF nexus and climate risks [60]; (d) WEF nexus
and climate change adaptation [51]; (e) prospects for improving irrigated agriculture
through the WEF nexus [41]; (f) WEF nexus as a tool to transform rural livelihoods
[44]; and the development of a WEF nexus integrative model [56]. The list does not
include a book that is currently in development. The most outstanding WEF nexus
innovation was the development of an analytical model that establishes numerical
relationships among WEF sectors and identifies priority areas for intervention [56].
This model has already been used as a decision support tool to transform rural
livelihoods [44]. Another ongoing project is on operationalising the WEF nexus
through the theory of change.
As already alluded to, since 2011, the WRC has been spearheading nexus research
in South Africa and the southern African region with evidence of published research
reports and journal articles. The WEF Nexus Lighthouse oversees WEF nexus
research, development, and innovation, and the commission has premiered transformative research that includes nexus planning, circular economy, and sustainable
food systems. These practical examples of transformative approaches are suitable
for providing transdisciplinary solutions to closely linked but different challenges
and for guiding policy- and decision-making on coherent climate change adaptation
strategies.
3.1 Overall WEF Nexus Innovations in Each KSA
The total number of innovations produced by research projects falling under the
three KSAs in the WRC is presented in Fig. 5. During the 2017/18 financial year,
thirty-four innovations were recorded, of which nineteen were associated with the
S. Liphadzi et al.
3 Evolution of WEF Nexus Research in South Africa
Evidence on WEF nexus research in South Africa shows that the World Wide Fund for
Nature-South Africa (WWF-SA) started working on the approach in 2014 when they
published a series of reports on the WEF nexus published in the same year. Popular
titles of WWF-SA publications include: (a) climate change, the food–energy–water
nexus and food security in South Africa [16], (b) the food–energy–water nexus:
understanding South Africa’s most urgent sustainability challenge [86], and (c) water,
energy and food: a review of integrated planning in South Africa [27]. Although the
WRC created a flagship programme in 2011 (WEF Nexus Lighthouse) to direct
WEF nexus research in the country and southern Africa, it started producing positive
results and making an impact after 2014. This is because of project cycles that can
take up to four years.
Since then, the WRC has developed flagship innovations on the WEF nexus that
include: (a) WEF nexus research needs in South Africa [39]; (b) linking the WEF
nexus to resource security [40]; (c) WEF nexus and climate risks [60]; (d) WEF nexus
and climate change adaptation [51]; (e) prospects for improving irrigated agriculture
through the WEF nexus [41]; (f) WEF nexus as a tool to transform rural livelihoods
[44]; and the development of a WEF nexus integrative model [56]. The list does not
include a book that is currently in development. The most outstanding WEF nexus
innovation was the development of an analytical model that establishes numerical
relationships among WEF sectors and identifies priority areas for intervention [56].
This model has already been used as a decision support tool to transform rural
livelihoods [44]. Another ongoing project is on operationalising the WEF nexus
through the theory of change.
As already alluded to, since 2011, the WRC has been spearheading nexus research
in South Africa and the southern African region with evidence of published research
reports and journal articles. The WEF Nexus Lighthouse oversees WEF nexus
research, development, and innovation, and the commission has premiered transformative research that includes nexus planning, circular economy, and sustainable
food systems. These practical examples of transformative approaches are suitable
for providing transdisciplinary solutions to closely linked but different challenges
and for guiding policy- and decision-making on coherent climate change adaptation
strategies.
3.1 Overall WEF Nexus Innovations in Each KSA
The total number of innovations produced by research projects falling under the
three KSAs in the WRC is presented in Fig. 5. During the 2017/18 financial year,
thirty-four innovations were recorded, of which nineteen were associated with the