Page 3 - Sustainable Urban Development: Necessity of Integrating Water-Energy-Food Dimensions in Developmental Policies
P. 3
Policy Brief
adequate resource availability and simultaneously World Economic Forum (2011) describes water-energy-food security problem
harmonizing WEF nexus, reducing the trade-offs as “A rapidly rising global population and growing prosperity are putting
among different sectors. The interrelationship between unsustainable pressures on resources. Demand for water, food and energy
water, energy and food is so robust that improving is expected to rise by 30 to 50% in the next two decades, while economic
efficiency in one element, either through technological disparities incentivize short-term responses in production and consumption that
interventions or through regulatory approach will have undermine long-term sustainability. Shortages could cause social and political
impact on overall nexus elements. instability, geopolitical conflict and irreparable environmental damage”.
INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WATER, ENERGY AND FOOD Programs and policies for Urban Development
in India
As food is a necessity for life, equally important is cooking food, due to inability
of human beings to consume raw food both due to inability to digest uncooked Water, energy and food being separate sectors are
food as well as suitability to their taste buds. For cooking the food and making it managed by different ministries and departments
suitable for human consumption, water and energy are essential inputs. At the at the national, state and district levels. However,
stage of food consumption, water is required for cleaning the raw food items such matters pertaining to urban development are the
as vegetables, for cooking food such as rice, wheat and beverages as well as for responsibility of State Governments as per the
cleaning utensils . The daily domestic water use in food consumption accounts for constitution of India. The 74th Amendment Act
almost 30% of minimum water supply requirement, set up by the Government of of the constitution has further delegated many of
India for communities residing in urban region with population of more than one these functions to urban local bodies (ULB) for
lakh1. Also, around 20% of total electricity consumed in households is by kitchen management at city level. However, Ministry of Urban
appliances. Thus, water and energy draw a close linkage with food and dietary Affairs, Government of India, plays an important
needs of humans. role in formulating various policies, programs and
1 Indian Standard: Code of basic requirements for water supply, drainage and sanitation.
Bureau of Indian Standards, fourth reprint December, 2010.
Figure 1: Water, energy, food security nexus (Adapted with changes from Hoff. H, 2011)12
12 Hoff, H. (2011). Understanding the Nexus. Background Paper for the Bonn 2011 Conference: The Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus.
OCTOBER 2016 3
adequate resource availability and simultaneously World Economic Forum (2011) describes water-energy-food security problem
harmonizing WEF nexus, reducing the trade-offs as “A rapidly rising global population and growing prosperity are putting
among different sectors. The interrelationship between unsustainable pressures on resources. Demand for water, food and energy
water, energy and food is so robust that improving is expected to rise by 30 to 50% in the next two decades, while economic
efficiency in one element, either through technological disparities incentivize short-term responses in production and consumption that
interventions or through regulatory approach will have undermine long-term sustainability. Shortages could cause social and political
impact on overall nexus elements. instability, geopolitical conflict and irreparable environmental damage”.
INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WATER, ENERGY AND FOOD Programs and policies for Urban Development
in India
As food is a necessity for life, equally important is cooking food, due to inability
of human beings to consume raw food both due to inability to digest uncooked Water, energy and food being separate sectors are
food as well as suitability to their taste buds. For cooking the food and making it managed by different ministries and departments
suitable for human consumption, water and energy are essential inputs. At the at the national, state and district levels. However,
stage of food consumption, water is required for cleaning the raw food items such matters pertaining to urban development are the
as vegetables, for cooking food such as rice, wheat and beverages as well as for responsibility of State Governments as per the
cleaning utensils . The daily domestic water use in food consumption accounts for constitution of India. The 74th Amendment Act
almost 30% of minimum water supply requirement, set up by the Government of of the constitution has further delegated many of
India for communities residing in urban region with population of more than one these functions to urban local bodies (ULB) for
lakh1. Also, around 20% of total electricity consumed in households is by kitchen management at city level. However, Ministry of Urban
appliances. Thus, water and energy draw a close linkage with food and dietary Affairs, Government of India, plays an important
needs of humans. role in formulating various policies, programs and
1 Indian Standard: Code of basic requirements for water supply, drainage and sanitation.
Bureau of Indian Standards, fourth reprint December, 2010.
Figure 1: Water, energy, food security nexus (Adapted with changes from Hoff. H, 2011)12
12 Hoff, H. (2011). Understanding the Nexus. Background Paper for the Bonn 2011 Conference: The Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus.
OCTOBER 2016 3
