The iGains4Gains model guides irrigation water conservation and allocation to enhance nexus gains across water, food, carbon emissions, and nature
This paper introduces and applies iGain4Gains, an Excel-based model, to reveal how changes to water conservation and allocation, and irrigation technology, can produce four nexus gains. These gains are; reduced aggregate water consumption, sustained crop production, lower carbon emissions, and enhan...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research: Food Systems |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601X/adabe9 |
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| author | Bruce Lankford Nafn Amdar Matthew McCartney Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi |
| author_facet | Bruce Lankford Nafn Amdar Matthew McCartney Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi |
| author_sort | Bruce Lankford |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper introduces and applies iGain4Gains, an Excel-based model, to reveal how changes to water conservation and allocation, and irrigation technology, can produce four nexus gains. These gains are; reduced aggregate water consumption, sustained crop production, lower carbon emissions, and enhanced water availability for nature. We developed the model with limited data and hypothetical future scenarios from the Amman–Zarqa basin in Jordan. Given its significant irrigation and urban water demands and difficult decisions regarding future water allocation and nexus choices, this basin is a highly appropriate case study. The paper’s primary aim is to demonstrate the iGains4Gains nexus model rather than to build an accurate hydrological model of the basin’s water resources. The model addresses two critical questions regarding increased irrigation efficiency. First, can irrigation efficiency and other factors, such as irrigated area, be applied to achieve real water savings while maintaining crop production, ensuring greenhouse gas emission reductions, and ‘freeing’ water for nature? Second, with the insight that water conservation is a distributive/allocative act, we ask who between four paracommoners (the proprietor irrigation system, neighbouring irrigation systems, society, and nature) benefits hydrologically from changes in irrigation efficiency? Recognising nexus gains are not always linear, positive and predictable, the model reveals that achieving all four gains simultaneously is difficult, likely leading to trade-offs such as water consumption rebounds or increased carbon emissions. Demonstrated by its use at a workshop in Jordan in February 2024, iGains4Gains can be used by students, scientists and decision-makers, to explore and understand nexus trade-offs connected to changes in irrigation management. The paper concludes with recommendations for governing water and irrigated agriculture in basins where large volumes of water are withdrawn and depleted by irrigation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e4529be7a8224aa99c8e6ec2c77f540b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2976-601X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research: Food Systems |
| spelling | doaj-art-e4529be7a8224aa99c8e6ec2c77f540b2025-02-06T17:46:03ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research: Food Systems2976-601X2025-01-012101501410.1088/2976-601X/adabe9The iGains4Gains model guides irrigation water conservation and allocation to enhance nexus gains across water, food, carbon emissions, and natureBruce Lankford0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5580-272XNafn Amdar1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7175-4940Matthew McCartney2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6342-2815Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9323-8127School of Global Development, University of East Anglia , Norwich, United KingdomInternational Water Management Institute , Amman, JordanInternational Water Management Institute , Battaramulla, Sri LankaCentre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , London, United Kingdom; Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, University of KwaZulu-Natal , Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; Institute for Water , Environment and Health, United Nations University, Richmond, Ontario, CanadaThis paper introduces and applies iGain4Gains, an Excel-based model, to reveal how changes to water conservation and allocation, and irrigation technology, can produce four nexus gains. These gains are; reduced aggregate water consumption, sustained crop production, lower carbon emissions, and enhanced water availability for nature. We developed the model with limited data and hypothetical future scenarios from the Amman–Zarqa basin in Jordan. Given its significant irrigation and urban water demands and difficult decisions regarding future water allocation and nexus choices, this basin is a highly appropriate case study. The paper’s primary aim is to demonstrate the iGains4Gains nexus model rather than to build an accurate hydrological model of the basin’s water resources. The model addresses two critical questions regarding increased irrigation efficiency. First, can irrigation efficiency and other factors, such as irrigated area, be applied to achieve real water savings while maintaining crop production, ensuring greenhouse gas emission reductions, and ‘freeing’ water for nature? Second, with the insight that water conservation is a distributive/allocative act, we ask who between four paracommoners (the proprietor irrigation system, neighbouring irrigation systems, society, and nature) benefits hydrologically from changes in irrigation efficiency? Recognising nexus gains are not always linear, positive and predictable, the model reveals that achieving all four gains simultaneously is difficult, likely leading to trade-offs such as water consumption rebounds or increased carbon emissions. Demonstrated by its use at a workshop in Jordan in February 2024, iGains4Gains can be used by students, scientists and decision-makers, to explore and understand nexus trade-offs connected to changes in irrigation management. The paper concludes with recommendations for governing water and irrigated agriculture in basins where large volumes of water are withdrawn and depleted by irrigation.https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601X/adabe9climate changeirrigated agricultureirrigation paradoxreal water savings |
| spellingShingle | Bruce Lankford Nafn Amdar Matthew McCartney Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi The iGains4Gains model guides irrigation water conservation and allocation to enhance nexus gains across water, food, carbon emissions, and nature Environmental Research: Food Systems climate change irrigated agriculture irrigation paradox real water savings |
| title | The iGains4Gains model guides irrigation water conservation and allocation to enhance nexus gains across water, food, carbon emissions, and nature |
| title_full | The iGains4Gains model guides irrigation water conservation and allocation to enhance nexus gains across water, food, carbon emissions, and nature |
| title_fullStr | The iGains4Gains model guides irrigation water conservation and allocation to enhance nexus gains across water, food, carbon emissions, and nature |
| title_full_unstemmed | The iGains4Gains model guides irrigation water conservation and allocation to enhance nexus gains across water, food, carbon emissions, and nature |
| title_short | The iGains4Gains model guides irrigation water conservation and allocation to enhance nexus gains across water, food, carbon emissions, and nature |
| title_sort | igains4gains model guides irrigation water conservation and allocation to enhance nexus gains across water food carbon emissions and nature |
| topic | climate change irrigated agriculture irrigation paradox real water savings |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/2976-601X/adabe9 |
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