Food, Energy and Water Systems 4.0: Concepts and Applications

This book examines the complex interactions between food, energy, and water (FEW) resources within the framework of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). It traces the historical evolution of FEW 4.0, analyses its key components, and explores its applications in reshaping resource management practices by integrating emerging technologies.

Nnamdi Nwulu is the Chair Holder, South Africa/Switzerland Bilateral Research Chair in Blockchain Technology (SARChI Chair), Professor of Sustainable Cyber-Physical Engineering Systems and the Director of the Centre for Cyber-Physical Food, Energy & Water Systems (CCP-FEWS) at the University of Johannesburg.

Prof Nwulu’s research focuses on Food, Energy and Water Systems (FEWS) and the inherent nexus between all three. Specifically, his research focuses on applying FEW-N thinking, emerging technologies, mathematical optimisation techniques, and machine learning algorithms in food, energy, and water systems. This research focus has produced several books, inventions and over 200 publications, winning him the 2021 NRF Research Excellence Award for Early Career/Emerging Researchers in Engineering/Technology. He was also a 2020/2021 TW Kambule-NSTF-South32 Award finalist in the Emerging Researcher category and won the 2020 UJ Vice-Chancellors’ Most Promising Young Researcher award. He is a Member of the prestigious South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS).

Prof Nwulu has received several research grants worth over 60 Million Rands from governmental and industrial sponsors. In 2022, Prof Nwulu led a consortium of academics from Greece, France and South Africa to receive funding from the European Union Erasmus program. Prof Nwulu was announced in December 2022 as the South Africa/Switzerland (SA-Swiss) Bilateral Research Chair in Blockchain Technology, focusing on blockchain integration in South Africa and Switzerland’s agri-food and medical supply chains.

He is a Professional Engineer registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (SMIEEE), and a Fellow of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (FSAIEE).

Prof. Nwulu is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Digital Food Energy and Water Systems (JD-FEWS), Associate Editor of the IET Renewable Power Generation (IET-RPG) and the African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development (AJSTID).

Omolola Ogbolumani is a computer engineer licensed to operate in Nigeria by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). She holds a PhD degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, with a thesis titled A Hybrid Decision-Making Framework for the Food-Energy-Water Nexus.

Dr. Ogbolumani’s research focuses on smart sustainability using FEW-Nexus thinking, mathematical optimisation techniques, and 4IR technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning (ML) algorithms, and blockchain technology applied in waste management systems for cleaner environment and food, energy, and water systems for increased productivity. Her research has produced several publications in peer-reviewed journals and inventions. She is affiliated with the Centre for Cyber-Physical Food, Energy & Water Systems (CCP-FEWS) at the University of Johannesburg South Africa and the TETFund Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management (TCEBCEM) at the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

She is a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE), the Nigeria Computer Society (MNCS), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (MIEEE).