The Free State of Bavaria exchanges technology and knowledge with a large number of partner regions in Official Development Assistance countries in order to promote the development and implementation of sustainable development prospects there. As part of these development perspectives, it has long maintained partnerships with countries such as Ethiopia, Benin, Ghana, India, Nigeria, South Africa and Togo. While Bavaria has a long tradition of taking the energy-water-environment-food security nexus into account in state and regional development, planning processes and decision-making structures in partner countries are still often organised on a sector-by-sector basis. Instruments and interfaces for establishing the nexus are largely lacking. As a result, social, technological and economic development potential in the partner countries often remains unutilised.
The objective of the project is to deepen and expand existing and new cross-regional networks between the state of Bavaria and its partner countries to promote the transfer of technology and knowledge for the establishment and intensification of the energy-water-environment-food security nexus in the partner countries. This should contribute to the improved use of development potential on the ground. The nexus is to be established on a pilot basis through the joint participation of experts and managers from the aforementioned sectors in the measures, thereby promoting a cross-sectoral perspective.
The core of the project is the further intensification and expansion of knowledge transfer in the energy-water-environment-food security nexus in the partner countries involved.
The project is based on a multi-level and multi-stakeholder approach that combines the various instruments and mutually reinforces their effects. The instruments used are stakeholder dialogues, scientific expert exchange, B2B dialogues, knowledge sharing in the technology sector and in the development of framework conditions in the energy-water-environment-food security nexus. Implementation takes place in the form of workshops, seminars and training sessions.