The Water-Energy-Food in Africa Initiative is excited to share with you updates on the current news and events, ways to get involved, and upcoming items to be on the lookout for. |
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Member Registration and Collaborative Platform
If you have not yet done so, we highly encourage interested participants to join the WEF Nexus in Africa Initiative as a member of our website and the Collaborative Platform.
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Storymap: Water-Energy-Food (WEF)- nexus approach in Cape Town (2021-2023)
The South African National Research Foundation (NRF) in collaboration with the Dutch Research Council (NWO), is awarding a research grant to conduct a study that balances tradeoffs and increases synergies between water, energy, and food sectors. Along with this, the joint effort will also explore application-oriented solutions across the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus, develop practical guidelines, and support decision and policymakers towards sustainable planning and practices, strategies and policies. The study is expected to provide a detailed view of the interconnected nature of the water, energy, and food sectors and a WEF nexus as a tool to strengthen the resilience of Cape Town, South Africa.
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Investing in Scale: The opportunity at the nexus of food and energy
This is one of the episodes of the "Power for All" podcast that sheds light on the connection between food systems and decentralized renewable energy in support of this year's UN Food Systems Summit. The host William Brent speaks with Seth Silverman and Morgan DeFoort of Factor[e] Ventures, a builder of companies working at the intersection of food and energy, to highlight several ideas in Africa and Asia that can assist in ensuring sustainable energy for all, improve farmers' lives and support economic growth.
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Leveraging Private Sector Engagement for Climate Resilience and Gender Equality
Stakeholders need to get an innovative and new business model to built resilience, improve agricultural value chains, and address challenges such as climate and gender issues. For that, three successful programs were identified, (a) Securing Water for Food, (b) Powering Agriculture Grand Challenges, as well as the new second-generation (c) Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) Grand Challenge. WE4F is building on previous successes and lessons learned for climate mitigation and resilience, gender equality, poverty reduction, and protection of the environment and biodiversity.
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2021 Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus Science Advances Conference
The WEFE Nexus Science Advances Conference has scheduled for September 27 -29, 2021. The conference will be digital and theme focuses on 'From Science to Practice: The Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus in the Mediterranean'. This conference is organized by the Joint Research Centre and the Directorate General Research and Innovation of the European Commission, the UFM-Union for the Mediterranean, the PRIMA Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area, and the Cyprus Institute. The deadline for registration is 30th June 2021.
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Cracking the Nut 2021: Building Resilient Food, Water, and Energy Systems
The online conference "Cracking the Nut 2021: Building Resilient Food, Water, and Energy Systems" is announced for November 15-18, 2021 and will focus on how public and private sector initiatives can create resilient systems that support rural and agricultural development. For this, three topics will be discussed; (a) applying technology and digital solutions, (b) leveraging private sector and multi-stakeholder investments and (c) ensuring inclusion of vulnerable populations.
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Request For Applications: Feed The Future Innovation Lab For Livestock Systems
The "2021 Request For Applications (RFA): Feed The Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems" is now open. The RFA aims to provide grants for livestock system related research projects in five countries: Burkina Faso, Niger, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Nepal. The first deadline for applicants is to submit a concept note by July 6, 2021.
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The Water–Energy–Food Nexus as a Tool to Transform Rural Livelihoods and Well-Being in Southern Africa
By: Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi ,Luxon Nhamo, Sylvester Mpandeli, Charles Nhemachena, Aidan Senzanje, Nafisa Sobratee, Pauline Paidamoyo Chivenge, Rob Slotow, Dhesigen Naidoo, Stanley Liphadzi and Albert Thembinkosi Modi
This study applied a water–energy–food (WEF) nexus analytical livelihoods model with complex systems understanding to assess rural livelihoods, health, and well-being in southern Africa, recommending tailor-made adaptation strategies for the region aimed at building resilient rural communities. The integrated WEF nexus index for the region was calculated at 0.145, and reveals a major reason why the region fails to meet its developmental targets. Results identified (a) the trade-offs and unintended negative consequences for poor rural households’ livelihoods of current silo approaches, (b) mechanisms for sustainably enhancing household water, energy, and food security, whilst (c) providing direction for achieving SDGs 2, 3, 6 and 7.
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Jobs and Internship Opportunities
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Vacancy // Ph.D. on the Global Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus under Climate Extremes
The Faculty of Geoscience at Utrecht University in Netherlands, is seeking a PhD student interested in global-scale hydrology and water resources modeling and its application to issues related to the water-energy-food-ecosystems nexus. The successful candidate will work within the international multi-disciplinary consortium of the H2020 Go NEXUS program and will develop a framework for designing and assessing innovative solutions for the governance of the water-energy-food-ecosystems (WEFE) nexus. The application submission deadline is 30 June 2021.
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Intern // Solar Development
The Clean Choice Energy in Corning, New York invites summer internship applications
for its Solar Development team to play a supporting role in the advancement of the company’s solar energy projects. The intern responsibilities includes research, project tracking, real estate document preparation, creating and updating power point presentations, update project tracking and controls. The ideal candidate should be detail oriented and a self-starter capable of working in a fast-paced environment.
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Intern // Water Research at Washington Water Trust (WWT)
Washington Water Trust (WWT)
Washington, DC, is looking for highly motivated students currently pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree to conduct research as well as collect and organize data on historic fish populations, climate/ land use change, and water resources. The successful candidate will work with WWT’s Data Analyst to develop and maintain WWT’s databases as well as to assess and communicate trends or patterns in data to external stakeholders. This is a remote based, part time job with some flexibility depending on candidate situation. The application deadline is 15 July, 2021.
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For more job, internships, or partnership opportunities visit the
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General Notice
Please send relevant news, events, or activities to Kripa Neupane to be published to site or featured in newsletter.
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Networking Event // Innovate 4 Water - Lausanne 2021
"Innovate 4 Water" marketplaces bring together key water nexus stakeholders, such as large and small-scale private and public service providers, youth and women entrepreneurs, impact investors, governmental and non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, incubators, and accelerators, to build dynamic local ecosystems who can channel responsible finance towards job creation in impactful solutions, thus contributing to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The marketplace in Lausanne will take place in a hybrid format, with a selection of participants at the EPFL (number depending on COVID restrictions in June) and participants joining online on an interactive digital platform.
Innovate 4 Water fosters interactions between global and local players from the private sector, the public sector, and civil society to shift financing towards innovative and impactful local solutions. It is a matchmaking forum, bringing together entrepreneurs, solution-seekers, and investors around the water nexus. The one-day event facilitates networking, featuring five-minute pitches, coaching sessions, and exposure to investors.
With a focus on networking, Innovate 4 Water Lausanne will present local solutions to the Rhone river basin issues, including nature-based solutions, wetlands, protecting biodiversity, innovative technologies, resource management, pollution, and micro-pollutants, strengthening local ecosystems.
Selected delegates will pitch opportunities and operational solutions around the following topics:
- Innovative and impactful water technologies
- Water resource management and protection
- Water stewardship in corporate supply chains
- Wastewater treatment
- Spatial planning
- Nature-based solutions - biodiversity
- Role of Swiss stakeholders abroad
- Water in the circular economy
- Sustainable finance for water solutions
- Water and health
The event organized date is 18 June 2021. Registration is required.
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