ECOpole 2025: Implementing Nexus-Based Agri-Food Integration: From Source to Table and Beyond
Tzong-Ru Lee*
National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan
ABSTRACT The intricate interconnections among Water–Food–Energy (WFE) systems are increasingly recognized as a cornerstone for advancing global sustainability and climate adaptation. Building a resilient and sustainable agri-food system requires the integration of water resource management, agricultural production, and energy use, governed through frameworks that promote cross-sectoral collaboration and systemic resilience. However, a critical global challenge persists: transforming the Nexus concept from a theoretical paradigm into actionable and context-sensitive operational models. This study presents 5 enterprise-based cases, each corresponding to one of the WFE Nexus pillars—water, food, and energy—to illustrate how locally embedded innovation can drive systemic integration while aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 6, 12, and 13). These cases demonstrate that when Nexus principles are embedded in corporate operational strategies and system design, they enable scalable, transferable models for sustainability. Such approaches pave viable pathways from place-based action toward global sustainable transitions.
Keywords: Water-Food-Energy nexus, agri-food systems, sustainability integration, SDGs, enterprise-based models, systemic resilience, climate adaptation, operational frameworks
