Management of natural resources from nexus perspective: case of study in Ceará, Brazil

Abstract

The Nexus approach seeks to consider the connections between water, energy and food at local, regional and global level. This study proposes to explore some characteristics and synergies of local ecosystems and possible interventions in order to develop a generalist local water, energy and food Nexus model for the effective and sustainable management of natural resources and treatment of the waste. The methodology was built in four stages: (i) elaboration and application of questionnaires to survey the water and energy demands and to understand the eating habits of the actors under study; (ii) analysis of soil quality in the laboratory in order to verify the need to use fertilizers and treatments to recover degraded areas; (iii) proposing alternatives for water supply, energy and food production; and (iv) elaboration of the local Nexus model. The proposed alternatives integrate the elements of the model. Among them are the use of solar panels, the use of cisterns, composting, biodigester, evapotranspiration basin, artisanal fish farming and permaculture design. Considering the inputs and outputs of each element it was found that all of them are dependent on water supply except for solar panels. Based on the model’s interconnections, a new structural design for the study area was proposed to contribute to the development and applicability of the Nexus approach at the local level.