Activity One - Read and Watch

Before we look at how interrelated the different elements of the nexus are we need to understand why being resource secure is such an important issue.  We are going to watch the three YouTube clips below and  I would like you to make notes on why each country needs to have the three resources of food, water and energy.  You can bullet point these notes but do remember to add data when it is explicitly mentioned.

The Data:

• Agriculture accounts for 72% of all freshwater withdrawals

• Producing one person's daily food takes 2,000 to 5,000 litres of water

• Global water demand is projected to rise 20 to 30% by 2050

• Over 864 million people faced severe food insecurity in 2023

Useful Resources

Activity Two - Comprehension - Politics

The concept of the nexus is something that is being raised throughout politics, but should it be a political issue?

1. Now read the article in the 'Useful Resource' box and suggest why the nexus is a political issue.

2. We are now going to view the impact of politics on the nexus from various countries perspectives. 

   1. 1. • Choose one to focus on from the resources below.

         • Outline what the issue is and what it was caused by.

         • How is the nexus impacted by politics? Use your example to explain briefly - approximately 4-5 sentences. 

Activity Three - Cut and Stick

We are now going to work on the nexus by completing a cut and stick exercise. We are initially going to watch the clip in the 'Useful Resources' box to find out how to do the activity. Then in case you forget how to do it the instructions stage by stage are below. Thank you www.geographypods.com for this lesson and to www.geographyalltheway.com for the Swiss alterations.

Stage One - Watch

• • • Watch the clip in the 'Useful Resources' box to find out what the activity is and how it is going to work.

    • The group will be divided into teams of approximately four people.

    • Collect a pair of scissors each and three glue sticks per group.

    • Collect a piece of flip chart paper.

Stage Two - Sort

• • • Collect the first set of cards - the 'Traditional' views.

    • Cut them out.

    • Sort them into groups of your choice. They could be food, water, energy, climate change etc.

    • As a whole class we will discuss your grouping choices.

    • Spread your group choices out and see where they can link by tessellating them. 

Stage Three - The Nexus

• • • Collect the second set of cards.

    • Either add these cards to those you have already sorted or you can start again.

    • Spread your group choices out and see where they can link by tessellating them. 

Stage Four - Sustainable Development Goals

• • • Now add the SDGs to your choices. Do any of them fit or link to your groups?

Stage Five - Stick

• • • Stick your hexagons on to your flip chart paper.

Extension - Link

Now you have looked at the importance of the nexus and a detailed example of the politics of the nexus, create a chain for that examples using the card sort in the last activity. For example:

Ethiopia dams the Blue Nile =  Egypt's irrigation water falls = what happens next?