Events

The high concentration of people associated with urbanisation puts considerable pressure on provision of water, food and energy. An increasing competition for water and land between city and agriculture is obvious and it is extremely important to understand the complex "urban metabolism" and the interactions between different sectors. For many cities in developing countries, specifically in peri-urban areas, water is a scarce resource and food insecurity at the horizon.

The lack of adequate sanitation affects urban water security, while faecal and sewage based nutrient resources is wasted. New innovative approaches and technologies are needed to ensure water and land use efficiency and productivity gains at each step of the food supply chain and the urban water cycle. Flexible, sustainable frameworks in a systems perspective are the key to understand and optimise the synergies and complex interactions.

This workshop will focus on the interactions between water for food and water for cities.  The conceptual frameworks of the urban water and food nexus will be investigated, cities as sources of water and nutrients for agriculture analysed, food security and the role of water and nutrients from urban areas illustrated and synergies, optimisation and efficiency discussed. Aspects on financing, regulation and the institutional landscape needed to stimulate the optimization of the city - agriculture links will be discussed.

Read more about SEI at World Water Week 2012»

SEI Senior Research Fellow Arno Rosemarin is a panelist for this workshop.

Read more about the workshop»