Balancing water, food and energy to drive sustainable development

Water, for drinking, sanitation, irrigation and clean energy, plays a crucial role in the transition to a more sustainable world. In the EPIC Africa project, assistant professor in Water & Control Edo Abraham explores how data collection, mathematical models and a closer cooperation between countries and sectors can improve water management and the planning of energy systems. The aim is to achieve an optimal and fairer utilisation of increasingly scarce water and land in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. We need water for drinking and sanitation, to grow crops and to generate electricity. The competition is fierce. The availability of fresh water is under pressure from climate change across the globe, while demand is increasing as the population and economies grow. 'We need water to drink, grow food and generate energy,' researcher Edo Abraham says.