Hubert Hirwa - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Hubert Hirwa

Research paper thumbnail of Linking large extractive industries to sustainable development of rural communities at mining sites in Africa: Challenges and pathways

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating farmland ecosystem resilience and its obstacle factors in Ethiopia

In the context of global warming, the sustainability of farmland ecosystems is increasingly impac... more In the context of global warming, the sustainability of farmland ecosystems is increasingly impacted by multiple disturbances from both natural and human-induced sources. This study constructed a conceptual model and indicator system of farmland ecosystem resilience (FER) based on the disturbance-response processes of farmland ecosystems. FER assessment, supported by 30 specific indicators, was tested in Ethiopia, one of the most foodinsecure countries in the world and the factors impending farmland ecosystem sustainability were discussed based on the obstacle degree values (ODVs). The results showed that the FER change rate in Ethiopia was 0.3 %/year during 2003-2018, indicating positive sustainability on the whole. However, in the five years of 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2017, the FER decreased, among which the largest decline was − 0.017 in 2017. Natural comprehensive disturbance (ND), human activity disturbance (HD), resilience of farmland supply (RFS), and resilience of social support (RS) were the key constraints of FER, while the ODVs of ND and RFS showed increasing trends. We also found that there were general antagonistic and synergistic effects among the response factors and the synergistic enhancement between disturbance factors was more pronounced than the antagonistic buffering effect. This study provides a fresh perspective for farmland ecosystem managers and stakeholders to examine disturbance risks and assess the sustainability of farmland ecosystems.

Research paper thumbnail of A systematic review of climate change and water resources in Sub-Saharan Africa

Research Square - Research Square, Nov 17, 2022

Variations in precipitation that affect water resources have drawn a lot of attention to climate ... more Variations in precipitation that affect water resources have drawn a lot of attention to climate change-related water quality issues in recent years. Point and non-point source contaminants have an impact on water quality due to seasonal rainfall variability, and rainfall events are crucial in spreading these pollutants. Sub-Saharan Africa has the least stable access to freshwater supplies. Numerous academics have undertaken extensive research on the connection between climate change and water resources, yielding significant research findings. However, there is a dearth of quantitative analysis and thorough evaluation of research accomplishments. The purpose of the study was to undertake an organized literature review on the topic of examining the relationship between Sub-Saharan Africa's water resources and climate change. In the first segment, Vos-Viewer was used to map, study the literature, and identify any gaps in order to evaluate the impact of rainfall variability on water quality. The adaptation and mitigation strategies for water availability were described in the second section. This report utilizes the VOS-Viewer bibliometric software to create a combative network and keyword co-occurrence map based on the pertinent literature on the topics of climate change and water resources in the core collection of the Web of Science database and dimension. According to the study's findings, cooperation networks are not as prominent as research networks between developed and developing nations. It was also shown that irregular rainfall affects water quality by giving the water a muddy, acidic, and turbid appearance. According to the assessment, the study's conclusions suggest that involving all significant parties and adopting strong rules can facilitate prudent water usage and management. This is crucial for the 884 million people whose survival depends on surface water resources.

Research paper thumbnail of Climate change–drylands–food security nexus in Africa: From the perspective of technical advances, challenges, and opportunities

Frontiers in Environmental Science

Climate change impacts on drylands pose more vexing risks to socio-ecological systems, resulting ... more Climate change impacts on drylands pose more vexing risks to socio-ecological systems, resulting in food security issues, biodiversity loss, and livelihood shifts in Africa. This study critically reviewed relevant literature to evaluate the complexities and feedback loops between the climate–drylands–food security (CDF) nexus, which helps assess tactics to attain sustainable dryland ecosystem management under the changing environment. Comprehensive CDF frameworks are explored for dryland dynamics, ecosystem services, and food security (FS), and current high-precision ecosystem observation networks are used to detect regional-level climate variability and identify hotspots. In addition, this review also examines challenges and uncertainties for CDF systems and effective agrarian innovations as a way forward. To bridge the gap from science to policy making in the CDF nexus, it is vital to enhance the impacts and feedbacks of ecohydrological processes on agrarian production, ecosystem ...

Research paper thumbnail of Soil Salinity Variations and Associated Implications for Agriculture and Land Resources Development Using Remote Sensing Datasets in Central Asia

Remote Sensing, May 23, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Wetland conservation and management practices in Rubanda District, South-Western Uganda

Worldwide, wetlands cover about 9% of the land surface and are recognized as bio-networks that of... more Worldwide, wetlands cover about 9% of the land surface and are recognized as bio-networks that offer living prospects when managed properly. Despite the present resource management regime, many wetlands in Uganda are being degraded due to mining, construction, agricultural and industrial activity, and little attention has been paid to the effectiveness of wetland conservation. The goal of this research was to evaluate Nyamuriro wetland conservation and management practices in Rubanda District, Uganda. The study was guided by specific objectives, which included investigating the management approaches used in Nyamuriro wetland conservation, identifying the management challenges preventing Nyamuriro wetland conservation, and evaluating sustainable solutions to the challenges preventing Nyamuriro wetland conservation. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional research design that included qualitative and quantitative data gathering and analysis techniques. A total of 109 people p...

Research paper thumbnail of Tracing attribute and scope of research and applied projects in Africa's water energy food nexus implementation: A review

Environmental Science & Policy

Research paper thumbnail of Virtual water transfers in Africa: Assessing topical condition of water scarcity, water savings, and policy implications

Science of The Total Environment

Research paper thumbnail of Ecological balance emerges in implementing the water-energy-food security nexus in well-developed countries in Africa

Science of The Total Environment

Research paper thumbnail of Advances in Quantifying Impact and Extent of Water-Land-Food Nexus for Food Security in Africa

Agricultural Sciences

Food systems have the potential to promote human health and enhance environmental sustainability;... more Food systems have the potential to promote human health and enhance environmental sustainability; yet most African countries have decadal starvation and malnourishment due to unstable food systems lacking basic nutritional profiles. To understand the key questions of the African food production and food security crisis, it is important to evaluate the past and the present balance of food production and consumption quantitatively and comprehensively and identify resource constraints. This continental study analyzed water-land-food (WLF) nexus in recent decades (1997-2017) and accessed whether these resources cope with different population growth projections, dietary changes and agricultural water management.

Research paper thumbnail of Sustainable Virtual Water Transfers: A Comparative Assessment of the Topical Condition of Water Scarcity and Water Savings in Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Water Accounting and Productivity Analysis to Improve Water Savings of Nile River Basin, East Africa: From Accountability to Sustainability

Agronomy, 2022

Complete water accounting (WA) and crop water productivity (CWP) analysis is crucial for evaluati... more Complete water accounting (WA) and crop water productivity (CWP) analysis is crucial for evaluating water use efficiency (WUE). This study aims to evaluate the contributions of hydro-meteorological factors to the changes of WA and CWP and subsequent WUE based on the data from 2009–2020 in the Nile River Basin (NRB), East Africa (EA). The Mann-Kendall (MK) statistical test and Sen’s slope estimator were applied to detect the trends of climatic factors, and the AquaCrop model was used to simulate the crop yields in response to water balance and consumption based on crop physiological, soil water, and salt budget concepts. For the years 2012 and 2019, the mean of climatic water deficit P − ETa was 71.03 km3 and 37.03 km3, respectively, which was expected to rise to ~494.57 km3 by 2050. The results indicated that the basin water budget was unbalanced due to the coupled impact of year-to-year hot and dry conditions and increase in water abstraction, an indication of water deficit or stre...

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of the perennial spatio-temporal changes in the groundwater level and mineralization, and soil salinity in irrigated lands of arid zone: as an example of Syrdarya Province, Uzbekistan

Agricultural Water Management, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Dryland Food Security in Ethiopia: Current Status, Opportunities, and a Roadmap for the Future

Sustainability, 2021

Given the impact of COVID-19 and the desert locust plague, the Ethiopian food security issue has ... more Given the impact of COVID-19 and the desert locust plague, the Ethiopian food security issue has once again received widespread attention. Its food crisis requires comprehensive and systematic research to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger. This review discusses the current situation and the causes of food security in Ethiopia. We focus on the challenges in the food security assessment field. The article lists seven typical causes of food insecurity and three roots of food security in Ethiopia. Long-term food security assessment and a comprehensive understanding and manageability for food security causes are considered as the main existing research challenges. Climate-resilient management, water management, and long-term ecosystem network monitoring and data mining are suggested as potential roadmap for future research.

Research paper thumbnail of EVALUATION OF TREE SEED GERMINATION CAPACITY: EUCALYPTUS MICROCORYS IN SOUTHERN PROVINCE OF RWANDA By Hubert Hirwa and Abias Maniragaba

In Rwanda, most trees and shrubs are propagated using seeds but seed germination information is l... more In Rwanda, most trees and shrubs are propagated using seeds but seed germination information is limited due to inadequate research. Most of people claim that after acquiring tree seeds they meet problems comprising low germination rates of seeds, abnormality of seedlings, impurity and others constraints. The aim of this study was to evaluate the germination capacity of tree seeds. E. microcorys was used in the experiments which consisted of three treatments (T1: Rwasave nursery soils, T2: Ruhande Arboretum soils and T3: Sterilized sandy soils) with three replications. The temperature has been controlled at 25-35C at laboratory level. All tests were examined daily to ensure that the moisture content of the substrate is near optimum. The laboratory germination began after three days while the nursery started in nine days after sowing. It was recommended to all foresters and farmers that to ensure the germination of seeds, they must consider the type of seeds, the limiting environmenta...

Research paper thumbnail of Resilience, Adaptability, and Regime Shifts Thinking: A Perspective of Dryland Socio-Ecology System

Journal of Resources and Ecology, 2021

Abstract: Arid areas are widespread globally and support a third of the world's population&#3... more Abstract: Arid areas are widespread globally and support a third of the world's population's livelihoods. The increasing population, urbanization, land-use changes, and the climate significantly affect coupled natural and human systems and threaten environments and socio-ecological land systems. The degradation of drylands poses a severe and widespread threat to the lives of millions of people, especially in developing countries and in the global environment. This review assesses published literature on dryland socio-ecological systems to reveal current research trends and changes in research themes over time and introduces basic theories and advances in dryland socio-ecological system frameworks, resilience measurement, and regime shifts. Developing a more general but adaptable framework and a more practical strategy for long-term coordination and partnership and attaining specific insights into ecological services should receive more attention and be strengthened in future...

Research paper thumbnail of Decoupling Energy, Water, and Food Resources Production from GHG Emissions: A Footprint Perspective Review of Africa from 1990 to 2017

Energies, 2021

Decoupling energy, water, and food (EWF) consumption and production from GHG emissions could be a... more Decoupling energy, water, and food (EWF) consumption and production from GHG emissions could be an important strategy for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and SDG 7 (Clean and Affordable Energy) in Africa. This study applies Tapio’s decoupling method to analyze the relationship between GHG emissions and EWF resources use in 15 African countries over the period 1990–2017. The results show a remarkable relationship, which includes the contamination of EWF by GHG emissions, that mostly exhibits unsatisfactory decoupling state to satisfactory decoupling over a period of several years. The decoupling of water and energy resources from GHG emissions in most countries of Africa has not been able to reach an excellent decoupling state or a strong positive decoupling state. This requires countries in Africa to support environmentally friendly water and energy infrastructures and to promote an integrated...

Research paper thumbnail of Insights on Water and Climate Change in the Greater Horn of Africa: Connecting Virtual Water and Water-Energy-Food-Biodiversity-Health Nexus

Sustainability, 2021

Water is the key limiting factor in socioeconomic and ecological development, but it is adversely... more Water is the key limiting factor in socioeconomic and ecological development, but it is adversely affected by climate change. The novel virtual water (VW) concept and water, energy, food, biodiversity, and human health (WEFBH) nexus approach are powerful tools to assess the sustainability of a region through the lens of climate change. Climate change-related challenges and water are complex and intertwined. This paper analyzed the significant WEFBH sectors using the multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model. The AHP model demonstrated quantitative relationships among WEFBH nexus sustainability indicators in the Greater Horn of Africa countries. Besides, the net VW imports and water footprints of major staple crops were assessed. The composite WEFBH nexus indices varied from 0.10 to 0.14. The water footprint of crops is increasing period by period. The results also revealed that most countries in the study area are facing WEFBH domains unsustaina...

Research paper thumbnail of Spatiotemporal variations of forest ecohydrological characteristics in the Lancang-Mekong region during 1992-2016 and 2020-2099 under different climate scenarios

Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Agricultural impacts drive longitudinal variations of riverine water quality of the Aral Sea basin (Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers), Central Asia

Environmental Pollution, 2021

River ecosystems are under increasing stress in the background of global change and ever-growing ... more River ecosystems are under increasing stress in the background of global change and ever-growing anthropogenic impacts in Central Asia. However, available water quality data in this region are insufficient for a reliable assessment of the current status, which come as no surprise that the limited knowledge of regulating processes for further prediction of solute variations hinders the development of sustainable management strategies. Here, we analyzed a dataset of various water quality variables from two sampling campaigns in 2019 in the catchments of two major rivers in Central Asia-the Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers. Our results suggested high spatial heterogeneity of salinity and major ion components along the longitudinal directions in both river catchments, pointing to an increasing influence of human activities toward downstream areas. We linked the modeling outputs from the global nutrient model (IMAGE-GNM) to riverine nutrients to elucidate the effect of different natural and anthropogenic sources in dictating the longitudinal variations of the riverine nutrient concentrations (N and P). Diffuse nutrient loadings dominated the export flux into the rivers, whereas leaching and surface runoff constituted the major fractions for N and P, respectively. Discharge of agricultural irrigation water into the rivers was the major cause of the increases in nutrients and salinity. Given that the conditions in Central Asia are highly susceptible to climate change, our findings call for more efforts to establish holistic management of water quality.

Research paper thumbnail of Linking large extractive industries to sustainable development of rural communities at mining sites in Africa: Challenges and pathways

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating farmland ecosystem resilience and its obstacle factors in Ethiopia

In the context of global warming, the sustainability of farmland ecosystems is increasingly impac... more In the context of global warming, the sustainability of farmland ecosystems is increasingly impacted by multiple disturbances from both natural and human-induced sources. This study constructed a conceptual model and indicator system of farmland ecosystem resilience (FER) based on the disturbance-response processes of farmland ecosystems. FER assessment, supported by 30 specific indicators, was tested in Ethiopia, one of the most foodinsecure countries in the world and the factors impending farmland ecosystem sustainability were discussed based on the obstacle degree values (ODVs). The results showed that the FER change rate in Ethiopia was 0.3 %/year during 2003-2018, indicating positive sustainability on the whole. However, in the five years of 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2017, the FER decreased, among which the largest decline was − 0.017 in 2017. Natural comprehensive disturbance (ND), human activity disturbance (HD), resilience of farmland supply (RFS), and resilience of social support (RS) were the key constraints of FER, while the ODVs of ND and RFS showed increasing trends. We also found that there were general antagonistic and synergistic effects among the response factors and the synergistic enhancement between disturbance factors was more pronounced than the antagonistic buffering effect. This study provides a fresh perspective for farmland ecosystem managers and stakeholders to examine disturbance risks and assess the sustainability of farmland ecosystems.

Research paper thumbnail of A systematic review of climate change and water resources in Sub-Saharan Africa

Research Square - Research Square, Nov 17, 2022

Variations in precipitation that affect water resources have drawn a lot of attention to climate ... more Variations in precipitation that affect water resources have drawn a lot of attention to climate change-related water quality issues in recent years. Point and non-point source contaminants have an impact on water quality due to seasonal rainfall variability, and rainfall events are crucial in spreading these pollutants. Sub-Saharan Africa has the least stable access to freshwater supplies. Numerous academics have undertaken extensive research on the connection between climate change and water resources, yielding significant research findings. However, there is a dearth of quantitative analysis and thorough evaluation of research accomplishments. The purpose of the study was to undertake an organized literature review on the topic of examining the relationship between Sub-Saharan Africa's water resources and climate change. In the first segment, Vos-Viewer was used to map, study the literature, and identify any gaps in order to evaluate the impact of rainfall variability on water quality. The adaptation and mitigation strategies for water availability were described in the second section. This report utilizes the VOS-Viewer bibliometric software to create a combative network and keyword co-occurrence map based on the pertinent literature on the topics of climate change and water resources in the core collection of the Web of Science database and dimension. According to the study's findings, cooperation networks are not as prominent as research networks between developed and developing nations. It was also shown that irregular rainfall affects water quality by giving the water a muddy, acidic, and turbid appearance. According to the assessment, the study's conclusions suggest that involving all significant parties and adopting strong rules can facilitate prudent water usage and management. This is crucial for the 884 million people whose survival depends on surface water resources.

Research paper thumbnail of Climate change–drylands–food security nexus in Africa: From the perspective of technical advances, challenges, and opportunities

Frontiers in Environmental Science

Climate change impacts on drylands pose more vexing risks to socio-ecological systems, resulting ... more Climate change impacts on drylands pose more vexing risks to socio-ecological systems, resulting in food security issues, biodiversity loss, and livelihood shifts in Africa. This study critically reviewed relevant literature to evaluate the complexities and feedback loops between the climate–drylands–food security (CDF) nexus, which helps assess tactics to attain sustainable dryland ecosystem management under the changing environment. Comprehensive CDF frameworks are explored for dryland dynamics, ecosystem services, and food security (FS), and current high-precision ecosystem observation networks are used to detect regional-level climate variability and identify hotspots. In addition, this review also examines challenges and uncertainties for CDF systems and effective agrarian innovations as a way forward. To bridge the gap from science to policy making in the CDF nexus, it is vital to enhance the impacts and feedbacks of ecohydrological processes on agrarian production, ecosystem ...

Research paper thumbnail of Soil Salinity Variations and Associated Implications for Agriculture and Land Resources Development Using Remote Sensing Datasets in Central Asia

Remote Sensing, May 23, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Wetland conservation and management practices in Rubanda District, South-Western Uganda

Worldwide, wetlands cover about 9% of the land surface and are recognized as bio-networks that of... more Worldwide, wetlands cover about 9% of the land surface and are recognized as bio-networks that offer living prospects when managed properly. Despite the present resource management regime, many wetlands in Uganda are being degraded due to mining, construction, agricultural and industrial activity, and little attention has been paid to the effectiveness of wetland conservation. The goal of this research was to evaluate Nyamuriro wetland conservation and management practices in Rubanda District, Uganda. The study was guided by specific objectives, which included investigating the management approaches used in Nyamuriro wetland conservation, identifying the management challenges preventing Nyamuriro wetland conservation, and evaluating sustainable solutions to the challenges preventing Nyamuriro wetland conservation. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional research design that included qualitative and quantitative data gathering and analysis techniques. A total of 109 people p...

Research paper thumbnail of Tracing attribute and scope of research and applied projects in Africa's water energy food nexus implementation: A review

Environmental Science & Policy

Research paper thumbnail of Virtual water transfers in Africa: Assessing topical condition of water scarcity, water savings, and policy implications

Science of The Total Environment

Research paper thumbnail of Ecological balance emerges in implementing the water-energy-food security nexus in well-developed countries in Africa

Science of The Total Environment

Research paper thumbnail of Advances in Quantifying Impact and Extent of Water-Land-Food Nexus for Food Security in Africa

Agricultural Sciences

Food systems have the potential to promote human health and enhance environmental sustainability;... more Food systems have the potential to promote human health and enhance environmental sustainability; yet most African countries have decadal starvation and malnourishment due to unstable food systems lacking basic nutritional profiles. To understand the key questions of the African food production and food security crisis, it is important to evaluate the past and the present balance of food production and consumption quantitatively and comprehensively and identify resource constraints. This continental study analyzed water-land-food (WLF) nexus in recent decades (1997-2017) and accessed whether these resources cope with different population growth projections, dietary changes and agricultural water management.

Research paper thumbnail of Sustainable Virtual Water Transfers: A Comparative Assessment of the Topical Condition of Water Scarcity and Water Savings in Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Water Accounting and Productivity Analysis to Improve Water Savings of Nile River Basin, East Africa: From Accountability to Sustainability

Agronomy, 2022

Complete water accounting (WA) and crop water productivity (CWP) analysis is crucial for evaluati... more Complete water accounting (WA) and crop water productivity (CWP) analysis is crucial for evaluating water use efficiency (WUE). This study aims to evaluate the contributions of hydro-meteorological factors to the changes of WA and CWP and subsequent WUE based on the data from 2009–2020 in the Nile River Basin (NRB), East Africa (EA). The Mann-Kendall (MK) statistical test and Sen’s slope estimator were applied to detect the trends of climatic factors, and the AquaCrop model was used to simulate the crop yields in response to water balance and consumption based on crop physiological, soil water, and salt budget concepts. For the years 2012 and 2019, the mean of climatic water deficit P − ETa was 71.03 km3 and 37.03 km3, respectively, which was expected to rise to ~494.57 km3 by 2050. The results indicated that the basin water budget was unbalanced due to the coupled impact of year-to-year hot and dry conditions and increase in water abstraction, an indication of water deficit or stre...

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of the perennial spatio-temporal changes in the groundwater level and mineralization, and soil salinity in irrigated lands of arid zone: as an example of Syrdarya Province, Uzbekistan

Agricultural Water Management, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Dryland Food Security in Ethiopia: Current Status, Opportunities, and a Roadmap for the Future

Sustainability, 2021

Given the impact of COVID-19 and the desert locust plague, the Ethiopian food security issue has ... more Given the impact of COVID-19 and the desert locust plague, the Ethiopian food security issue has once again received widespread attention. Its food crisis requires comprehensive and systematic research to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger. This review discusses the current situation and the causes of food security in Ethiopia. We focus on the challenges in the food security assessment field. The article lists seven typical causes of food insecurity and three roots of food security in Ethiopia. Long-term food security assessment and a comprehensive understanding and manageability for food security causes are considered as the main existing research challenges. Climate-resilient management, water management, and long-term ecosystem network monitoring and data mining are suggested as potential roadmap for future research.

Research paper thumbnail of EVALUATION OF TREE SEED GERMINATION CAPACITY: EUCALYPTUS MICROCORYS IN SOUTHERN PROVINCE OF RWANDA By Hubert Hirwa and Abias Maniragaba

In Rwanda, most trees and shrubs are propagated using seeds but seed germination information is l... more In Rwanda, most trees and shrubs are propagated using seeds but seed germination information is limited due to inadequate research. Most of people claim that after acquiring tree seeds they meet problems comprising low germination rates of seeds, abnormality of seedlings, impurity and others constraints. The aim of this study was to evaluate the germination capacity of tree seeds. E. microcorys was used in the experiments which consisted of three treatments (T1: Rwasave nursery soils, T2: Ruhande Arboretum soils and T3: Sterilized sandy soils) with three replications. The temperature has been controlled at 25-35C at laboratory level. All tests were examined daily to ensure that the moisture content of the substrate is near optimum. The laboratory germination began after three days while the nursery started in nine days after sowing. It was recommended to all foresters and farmers that to ensure the germination of seeds, they must consider the type of seeds, the limiting environmenta...

Research paper thumbnail of Resilience, Adaptability, and Regime Shifts Thinking: A Perspective of Dryland Socio-Ecology System

Journal of Resources and Ecology, 2021

Abstract: Arid areas are widespread globally and support a third of the world's population&#3... more Abstract: Arid areas are widespread globally and support a third of the world's population's livelihoods. The increasing population, urbanization, land-use changes, and the climate significantly affect coupled natural and human systems and threaten environments and socio-ecological land systems. The degradation of drylands poses a severe and widespread threat to the lives of millions of people, especially in developing countries and in the global environment. This review assesses published literature on dryland socio-ecological systems to reveal current research trends and changes in research themes over time and introduces basic theories and advances in dryland socio-ecological system frameworks, resilience measurement, and regime shifts. Developing a more general but adaptable framework and a more practical strategy for long-term coordination and partnership and attaining specific insights into ecological services should receive more attention and be strengthened in future...

Research paper thumbnail of Decoupling Energy, Water, and Food Resources Production from GHG Emissions: A Footprint Perspective Review of Africa from 1990 to 2017

Energies, 2021

Decoupling energy, water, and food (EWF) consumption and production from GHG emissions could be a... more Decoupling energy, water, and food (EWF) consumption and production from GHG emissions could be an important strategy for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and SDG 7 (Clean and Affordable Energy) in Africa. This study applies Tapio’s decoupling method to analyze the relationship between GHG emissions and EWF resources use in 15 African countries over the period 1990–2017. The results show a remarkable relationship, which includes the contamination of EWF by GHG emissions, that mostly exhibits unsatisfactory decoupling state to satisfactory decoupling over a period of several years. The decoupling of water and energy resources from GHG emissions in most countries of Africa has not been able to reach an excellent decoupling state or a strong positive decoupling state. This requires countries in Africa to support environmentally friendly water and energy infrastructures and to promote an integrated...

Research paper thumbnail of Insights on Water and Climate Change in the Greater Horn of Africa: Connecting Virtual Water and Water-Energy-Food-Biodiversity-Health Nexus

Sustainability, 2021

Water is the key limiting factor in socioeconomic and ecological development, but it is adversely... more Water is the key limiting factor in socioeconomic and ecological development, but it is adversely affected by climate change. The novel virtual water (VW) concept and water, energy, food, biodiversity, and human health (WEFBH) nexus approach are powerful tools to assess the sustainability of a region through the lens of climate change. Climate change-related challenges and water are complex and intertwined. This paper analyzed the significant WEFBH sectors using the multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model. The AHP model demonstrated quantitative relationships among WEFBH nexus sustainability indicators in the Greater Horn of Africa countries. Besides, the net VW imports and water footprints of major staple crops were assessed. The composite WEFBH nexus indices varied from 0.10 to 0.14. The water footprint of crops is increasing period by period. The results also revealed that most countries in the study area are facing WEFBH domains unsustaina...

Research paper thumbnail of Spatiotemporal variations of forest ecohydrological characteristics in the Lancang-Mekong region during 1992-2016 and 2020-2099 under different climate scenarios

Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Agricultural impacts drive longitudinal variations of riverine water quality of the Aral Sea basin (Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers), Central Asia

Environmental Pollution, 2021

River ecosystems are under increasing stress in the background of global change and ever-growing ... more River ecosystems are under increasing stress in the background of global change and ever-growing anthropogenic impacts in Central Asia. However, available water quality data in this region are insufficient for a reliable assessment of the current status, which come as no surprise that the limited knowledge of regulating processes for further prediction of solute variations hinders the development of sustainable management strategies. Here, we analyzed a dataset of various water quality variables from two sampling campaigns in 2019 in the catchments of two major rivers in Central Asia-the Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers. Our results suggested high spatial heterogeneity of salinity and major ion components along the longitudinal directions in both river catchments, pointing to an increasing influence of human activities toward downstream areas. We linked the modeling outputs from the global nutrient model (IMAGE-GNM) to riverine nutrients to elucidate the effect of different natural and anthropogenic sources in dictating the longitudinal variations of the riverine nutrient concentrations (N and P). Diffuse nutrient loadings dominated the export flux into the rivers, whereas leaching and surface runoff constituted the major fractions for N and P, respectively. Discharge of agricultural irrigation water into the rivers was the major cause of the increases in nutrients and salinity. Given that the conditions in Central Asia are highly susceptible to climate change, our findings call for more efforts to establish holistic management of water quality.