IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecolec/v180y2021ics0921800920312052.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analyzing constraints in the water-energy-food nexus: The case of eucalyptus plantation in Ethiopia

Author

Listed:
  • Bazzana, Davide
  • Gilioli, Gianni
  • Simane, Belay
  • Zaitchik, Benjamin

Abstract

The study explores complex non-linear decisions in land use allocation, focusing on the competition between cash and food crops. We develop an agent-based model to investigate whether the decision to opt for eucalyptus plantation is a rational choice in the perspective of different farmer types. We analyse the negative externalities (i.e. allelopathic effects) caused by the presence of eucalyptus on the productivity of neighbouring plots and the possible spill-over effects. The findings demonstrate that cultivation of eucalyptus as a cash crop may improve the rural populations' well-being only if there are no physical and economical constraints on access to food and services. The model shows that the allelopathic characteristics of eucalyptus strongly affect the soil fertility, inhibiting the possibility to switch to food crops in the future. In addition, the results of policy scenario simulations indicate that government environmental policies can play a key-role in improving awareness of the ecological effects of eucalyptus plantation on soil fertility in fragile socio-economic contexts characterized by high ecological vulnerability.

Suggested Citation

  • Bazzana, Davide & Gilioli, Gianni & Simane, Belay & Zaitchik, Benjamin, 2021. "Analyzing constraints in the water-energy-food nexus: The case of eucalyptus plantation in Ethiopia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:180:y:2021:i:c:s0921800920312052
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106875
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800920312052
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106875?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Levin, Simon & Xepapadeas, Tasos & Crépin, Anne-Sophie & Norberg, Jon & de Zeeuw, Aart & Folke, Carl & Hughes, Terry & Arrow, Kenneth & Barrett, Scott & Daily, Gretchen & Ehrlich, Paul & Kautsky, Nils, 2013. "Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems: modeling and policy implications," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(2), pages 111-132, April.
    2. Winford H. Masanjala, 2006. "Cash crop liberalization and poverty alleviation in Africa: evidence from Malawi," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 35(2), pages 231-240, September.
    3. Mohammed Rachid Doukkali & Caroline Lejars, 2015. "Energy cost of irrigation policy in Morocco: a social accounting matrix assessment," International Journal of Water Resources Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 422-435, September.
    4. Nhemachena, Charles & Hassan, Rashid M., 2007. "Micro-level analysis of farmers' adaptation to climate change in Southern Africa," IFPRI discussion papers 714, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Paul J. Block & Kenneth Strzepek & Mark W. Rosegrant & Xinshen Diao, 2008. "Impacts of considering climate variability on investment decisions in Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 39(2), pages 171-181, September.
    6. Gebreegziabher, Zenebe & Stage, Jesper & Mekonnen, Alemu & Alemu, Atlaw, 2016. "Climate change and the Ethiopian economy: a CGE analysis," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(2), pages 205-225, April.
    7. Diks, Cees & van der Weide, Roy, 2005. "Herding, a-synchronous updating and heterogeneity in memory in a CBS," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 741-763, April.
    8. Jagger, Pamela & Pender, John, 2003. "The role of trees for sustainable management of less-favored lands: the case of eucalyptus in Ethiopia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 83-95, January.
    9. Marcel Fafchamps, 1992. "Cash Crop Production, Food Price Volatility, and Rural Market Integration in the Third World," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 74(1), pages 90-99.
    10. Gastao Lukanu & J Maryann Green & Steve Worth, 2009. "Aspects of profitability that influence smallholder cash-crop preferences in northern Mozambique," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(5), pages 755-777.
    11. Maxwell, Simon & Fernando, Adrian, 1989. "Cash crops in developing countries: The issues, the facts, the policies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 17(11), pages 1677-1708, November.
    12. Williams, T.G. & Guikema, S.D. & Brown, D.G. & Agrawal, A., 2020. "Resilience and equity: Quantifying the distributional effects of resilience-enhancing strategies in a smallholder agricultural system," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    13. Million Gebreyes & Davide Bazzana & Anna Simonetto & Detlef Müller-Mahn & Benjamin Zaitchik & Gianni Gilioli & Belay Simane, 2020. "Local Perceptions of Water-Energy-Food Security: Livelihood Consequences of Dam Construction in Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-19, March.
    14. Detlef Vuuren & Jae Edmonds & Mikiko Kainuma & Keywan Riahi & Allison Thomson & Kathy Hibbard & George Hurtt & Tom Kram & Volker Krey & Jean-Francois Lamarque & Toshihiko Masui & Malte Meinshausen & N, 2011. "The representative concentration pathways: an overview," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 109(1), pages 5-31, November.
    15. Martinez-Hernandez, Elias & Leach, Matthew & Yang, Aidong, 2017. "Understanding water-energy-food and ecosystem interactions using the nexus simulation tool NexSym," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 1009-1021.
    16. Kelley, Hugh & Evans, Tom, 2011. "The relative influences of land-owner and landscape heterogeneity in an agent-based model of land-use," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(6), pages 1075-1087, April.
    17. Block, Paul J. & Strzepek, Kenneth & Rosegrant, Mark & Diao, Xinshen, 2008. "How can African agriculture adapt to climate change: Impacts of considering climate variability on investment decisions in Ethiopia," Research briefs 15(12), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    18. An, Li, 2012. "Modeling human decisions in coupled human and natural systems: Review of agent-based models," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 25-36.
    19. Govereh, Jones & Jayne, T. S., 2003. "Cash cropping and food crop productivity: synergies or trade-offs?," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 39-50, January.
    20. Shahzad Alvi & Faisal Jamil & Roberto Roson & Martina Sartori, 2020. "Do Farmers Adapt to Climate Change? A Macro Perspective," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-12, June.
    21. Atesmachew Hailegiorgis & Andrew Crooks & Claudio Cioffi-Revilla, 2018. "An Agent-Based Model of Rural Households’ Adaptation to Climate Change," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 21(4), pages 1-4.
    22. Block, Paul J. & Strzepek, Kenneth & Rosegrant, Mark & Diao, Xinshen, 2008. "Impacts of considering climate variability on investment decisions in Ethiopia [in Amharic]:," Research briefs 15(12)AMH, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    23. Natalia Radchenko & Paul Corral & Paul Winters, 2018. "Heterogeneity of commercialization gains in the rural economy," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(1), pages 131-143, January.
    24. Samantha Dobbie & Kate Schreckenberg & James G Dyke & Marije Schaafsma & Stefano Balbi, 2018. "Agent-Based Modelling to Assess Community Food Security and Sustainable Livelihoods," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 21(1), pages 1-9.
    25. Bereket Araya & John Asafu‐Adjaye, 1999. "Returns to Farm‐Level Soil Conservation on Tropical Steep Slopes: The Case of the Eritrean Highlands," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(3), pages 589-605, September.
    26. Musa H. Ahmed, 2014. "Farmer’s Decision To Practice Crop Rotation in Arsi Negelle, Ethiopia: What are the Determinants?," International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Research, Conscientia Beam, vol. 1(1), pages 19-27.
    27. Detlef Müller-Mahn & Million Gebreyes, 2019. "Controversial Connections: The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-20, September.
    28. Bakker, Craig & Zaitchik, Benjamin F. & Siddiqui, Sauleh & Hobbs, Benjamin F. & Broaddus, Elena & Neff, Roni A. & Haskett, Jonathan & Parker, Cindy L., 2018. "Shocks, seasonality, and disaggregation: Modelling food security through the integration of agricultural, transportation, and economic systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 165-184.
    29. Hirons, M. & Robinson, E. & McDermott, C. & Morel, A. & Asare, R. & Boyd, E. & Gonfa, T. & Gole, T.W. & Malhi, Y. & Mason, J. & Norris, K., 2018. "Understanding Poverty in Cash-crop Agro-forestry Systems: Evidence from Ghana and Ethiopia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 31-41.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bazzana, Davide & Foltz, Jeremy & Zhang, Ying, 2022. "Impact of climate smart agriculture on food security: An agent-based analysis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    2. Mgomezulu, Wisdom Richard & Edriss, Abdi-Khalil & Machira, Kennedy & Pangapanga-Phiri, Innocent, 2023. "Towards sustainability in the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices: Implications on household poverty, food and nutrition security," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 2(3).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bazzana, Davide & Zaitchik, Benjamin & Gilioli, Gianni, 2020. "Impact of water and energy infrastructure on local well-being: an agent-based analysis of the water-energy-food nexus," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 165-176.
    2. Bazzana, Davide & Foltz, Jeremy & Zhang, Ying, 2022. "Impact of climate smart agriculture on food security: An agent-based analysis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    3. Tadesse Kuma & Mekdim Dereje & Kalle Hirvonen & Bart Minten, 2019. "Cash Crops and Food Security: Evidence from Ethiopian Smallholder Coffee Producers," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(6), pages 1267-1284, June.
    4. Mahamadou Roufahi Tankari, 2017. "Cash crops reduce the welfare of farm households in Senegal," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(5), pages 1105-1115, October.
    5. Yang, Meijian & Wang, Guiling & Lazin, Rehenuma & Shen, Xinyi & Anagnostou, Emmanouil, 2021. "Impact of planting time soil moisture on cereal crop yield in the Upper Blue Nile Basin: A novel insight towards agricultural water management," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    6. Kostandini, Genti & La Rovere, Roberto & Abdoulaye, Tahirou, 2013. "Potential impacts of increasing average yields and reducing maize yield variability in Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 213-226.
    7. Blankespoor,Brian & Ru,Yating & Wood-Sichra,Ulrike & Chambers,Thomas Timothy & You,Liangzhi & Kalvelagen,Erwin, 2022. "Estimating Local Agricultural GDP across the World," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10109, The World Bank.
    8. Karen Fisher-Vanden & Ian Sue Wing & Elisa Lanzi & David Popp, 2013. "Modeling climate change feedbacks and adaptation responses: recent approaches and shortcomings," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 117(3), pages 481-495, April.
    9. Thomas Berger & Christian Troost & Tesfamicheal Wossen & Evgeny Latynskiy & Kindie Tesfaye & Sika Gbegbelegbe, 2017. "Can smallholder farmers adapt to climate variability, and how effective are policy interventions? Agent-based simulation results for Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 48(6), pages 693-706, November.
    10. Julia Reis & Julie Shortridge, 2020. "Impact of Uncertainty Parameter Distribution on Robust Decision Making Outcomes for Climate Change Adaptation under Deep Uncertainty," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(3), pages 494-511, March.
    11. Aisa O. Manlosa & Jan Hanspach & Jannik Schultner & Ine Dorresteijn & Joern Fischer, 2019. "Livelihood strategies, capital assets, and food security in rural Southwest Ethiopia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(1), pages 167-181, February.
    12. Williams, T.G. & Guikema, S.D. & Brown, D.G. & Agrawal, A., 2020. "Resilience and equity: Quantifying the distributional effects of resilience-enhancing strategies in a smallholder agricultural system," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    13. Zagaria, Cecilia & Schulp, Catharina J.E. & Zavalloni, Matteo & Viaggi, Davide & Verburg, Peter H., 2021. "Modelling transformational adaptation to climate change among crop farming systems in Romagna, Italy," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    14. Poulton, Colin & Dorward, Andrew & Kydd, Jonathan, 2010. "The Future of Small Farms: New Directions for Services, Institutions, and Intermediation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 1413-1428, October.
    15. Heckelei, T. & Amrouk, E.M. & Grosche, S., 2018. "International interdependence between cash crop and staple food futures price indices: A wavelet-BEKK-GARCH assessment," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277376, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    16. Dzanku, Fred M., 2015. "Household-specific food price differentials and high-value crop production in rural Ghana," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 73-82.
    17. Kostadis J. Papaioannou & Michiel de Haas, 2015. "Climate shocks, cash crops and resilience: Evidence from colonial tropical Africa," Working Papers 0076, Utrecht University, Centre for Global Economic History.
    18. Kostadis J. Papaioannou, 2018. "The Horns of a Dilemma in Colonial Policies:Rice, Rubber and Living Standards in the Malay Peninsula," Working Papers 0122, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    19. Michiel de Haas & Kostadis J. Papaioannou, 2017. "Resource endowments and agricultural commercialization in colonial Africa: Did labour seasonality and food security drive Uganda’s cotton revolution?," Working Papers 0111, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    20. Raoul Herrmann & Ephraim Nkonya & Anja Faße, 2018. "Food value chain linkages and household food security in Tanzania," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(4), pages 827-839, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:180:y:2021:i:c:s0921800920312052. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolecon .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.