WEFE nexus management plan for sustainable development and gender equity in the Matmata region, SE Tunisia
IntroductionClimate variability and socio-environmental challenges are often assessed separately, overlooking their interdependencies. This siloed management approach may mitigate one issue while inadvertently intensifying others. The Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus approach provides...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Water |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2025.1563873/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849320112859906048 |
|---|---|
| author | Houda Besser Afef Mahjoubi Xenia Theodotou Schneider Fethi Abdelli Enrica Caporali Bianca Maria Rizzo Fernando Nardi Fernando Nardi Mohamed Ouessar |
| author_facet | Houda Besser Afef Mahjoubi Xenia Theodotou Schneider Fethi Abdelli Enrica Caporali Bianca Maria Rizzo Fernando Nardi Fernando Nardi Mohamed Ouessar |
| author_sort | Houda Besser |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionClimate variability and socio-environmental challenges are often assessed separately, overlooking their interdependencies. This siloed management approach may mitigate one issue while inadvertently intensifying others. The Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus approach provides, however, a holistic framework for understanding these interconnected systems and promoting sustainable resource management with particular attention to gender mainstreaming and social inequality.MethodologyThis paper establishes, consequently, a baseline study for applying the WEFE nexus transition scheme in the Matmata region, a semi-arid area characterized by an important rural exodus, limited water resources, and monoculture agrosystems. Using a participatory, community-driven approach, data were collected during field surveys, face-to-face meetings, multi-stakeholder dialogue, the Delphi method, focus group discussions, and the nominal group technique. Qualitative data were statistically treated using inter-rater coding. Findings highlight sociocultural barriers as a major constraint to women's effective participation in the Nexus Ecosystem Laboratory (NEL) of Matmata. Economic dependency stemming from family agricultural unpaid work restricts their inclusion in the decision-making process and ownership rights. Their growing awareness of nature-based solutions and motivation to initiate micro-projects that valorize local natural and cultural assets align with the nexus transition schemes.Results and discussionPromoting institutional arrangements and enhancing gender inclusion are pivotal for driving systemic transformation. The research emphasizes that fostering gender equity is integral to economic sustainability. The successful shift toward the WEFE nexus governance approach must incorporate overlooked social dimensions and invest in community-based strategies, expanding the nexus toolkits for a flexible and adaptive approach. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3c6f6fdfb4034712adecb66595b4dbad |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2624-9375 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Water |
| spelling | doaj-art-3c6f6fdfb4034712adecb66595b4dbad2025-08-20T03:50:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Water2624-93752025-07-01710.3389/frwa.2025.15638731563873WEFE nexus management plan for sustainable development and gender equity in the Matmata region, SE TunisiaHouda Besser0Afef Mahjoubi1Xenia Theodotou Schneider2Fethi Abdelli3Enrica Caporali4Bianca Maria Rizzo5Fernando Nardi6Fernando Nardi7Mohamed Ouessar8Laboratory of Eremology and Combating Desertification—Arid Regions Institute, Medenine, TunisiaLaboratory of Eremology and Combating Desertification—Arid Regions Institute, Medenine, TunisiaXPRO Consulting Limited (XPRO), Nicosia, CyprusLaboratory of Eremology and Combating Desertification—Arid Regions Institute, Medenine, TunisiaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering (UNIFI), University of Florence, Florence, ItalyDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering (UNIFI), University of Florence, Florence, ItalyDepartment of Civil Engineering and Computer Science, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyInstitute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United StatesLaboratory of Eremology and Combating Desertification—Arid Regions Institute, Medenine, TunisiaIntroductionClimate variability and socio-environmental challenges are often assessed separately, overlooking their interdependencies. This siloed management approach may mitigate one issue while inadvertently intensifying others. The Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus approach provides, however, a holistic framework for understanding these interconnected systems and promoting sustainable resource management with particular attention to gender mainstreaming and social inequality.MethodologyThis paper establishes, consequently, a baseline study for applying the WEFE nexus transition scheme in the Matmata region, a semi-arid area characterized by an important rural exodus, limited water resources, and monoculture agrosystems. Using a participatory, community-driven approach, data were collected during field surveys, face-to-face meetings, multi-stakeholder dialogue, the Delphi method, focus group discussions, and the nominal group technique. Qualitative data were statistically treated using inter-rater coding. Findings highlight sociocultural barriers as a major constraint to women's effective participation in the Nexus Ecosystem Laboratory (NEL) of Matmata. Economic dependency stemming from family agricultural unpaid work restricts their inclusion in the decision-making process and ownership rights. Their growing awareness of nature-based solutions and motivation to initiate micro-projects that valorize local natural and cultural assets align with the nexus transition schemes.Results and discussionPromoting institutional arrangements and enhancing gender inclusion are pivotal for driving systemic transformation. The research emphasizes that fostering gender equity is integral to economic sustainability. The successful shift toward the WEFE nexus governance approach must incorporate overlooked social dimensions and invest in community-based strategies, expanding the nexus toolkits for a flexible and adaptive approach.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2025.1563873/fullWEFE nexustransitiongender issuesanalytical frameworksustainabilityMatmata |
| spellingShingle | Houda Besser Afef Mahjoubi Xenia Theodotou Schneider Fethi Abdelli Enrica Caporali Bianca Maria Rizzo Fernando Nardi Fernando Nardi Mohamed Ouessar WEFE nexus management plan for sustainable development and gender equity in the Matmata region, SE Tunisia Frontiers in Water WEFE nexus transition gender issues analytical framework sustainability Matmata |
| title | WEFE nexus management plan for sustainable development and gender equity in the Matmata region, SE Tunisia |
| title_full | WEFE nexus management plan for sustainable development and gender equity in the Matmata region, SE Tunisia |
| title_fullStr | WEFE nexus management plan for sustainable development and gender equity in the Matmata region, SE Tunisia |
| title_full_unstemmed | WEFE nexus management plan for sustainable development and gender equity in the Matmata region, SE Tunisia |
| title_short | WEFE nexus management plan for sustainable development and gender equity in the Matmata region, SE Tunisia |
| title_sort | wefe nexus management plan for sustainable development and gender equity in the matmata region se tunisia |
| topic | WEFE nexus transition gender issues analytical framework sustainability Matmata |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2025.1563873/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT houdabesser wefenexusmanagementplanforsustainabledevelopmentandgenderequityinthematmataregionsetunisia AT afefmahjoubi wefenexusmanagementplanforsustainabledevelopmentandgenderequityinthematmataregionsetunisia AT xeniatheodotouschneider wefenexusmanagementplanforsustainabledevelopmentandgenderequityinthematmataregionsetunisia AT fethiabdelli wefenexusmanagementplanforsustainabledevelopmentandgenderequityinthematmataregionsetunisia AT enricacaporali wefenexusmanagementplanforsustainabledevelopmentandgenderequityinthematmataregionsetunisia AT biancamariarizzo wefenexusmanagementplanforsustainabledevelopmentandgenderequityinthematmataregionsetunisia AT fernandonardi wefenexusmanagementplanforsustainabledevelopmentandgenderequityinthematmataregionsetunisia AT fernandonardi wefenexusmanagementplanforsustainabledevelopmentandgenderequityinthematmataregionsetunisia AT mohamedouessar wefenexusmanagementplanforsustainabledevelopmentandgenderequityinthematmataregionsetunisia |