Optimizing sugarcane and cassava production in Thailand via water-energy food-land-climate nexus

• Water-Energy-Food-Land-Climate nexus is a comprehensive evaluation method. • Northeast Thailand performed best in resource efficiency for sugarcane and cassava. • Water-related issues are responsible for low sustainability of sugarcane in North. • Climate and water issues are the main hotspots for sugarcane in the Central region. • Cassava in North hinges on improving energy, GHG emissions, and land productivity. Agriculture is a resource-intensive sector and a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve sustainable development goals, agrarian economies must identify hotspots and improve resource efficiency through a holistic assessment of multiple factors. Sugarcane and cassava production in Thailand were studied focusing on the Northeast, North, and Central regions where these crops are predominantly cultivated. A comparative analysis was carried out considering three approaches: water–energy–food, water–energy–food–land, and water–energy–food–land–climate nexus. Adding land and then climate to the traditional water-energy-food nexus revealed further insights in resource use and greenhouse gas emissions. The Northeast had the best performance vis-à-vis resource efficiency for both the crops. The Central region showed low resource efficiency for sugarcane and the North for cassava. The analysis of these differences revealed important issues related to inefficiencies in water, energy, and fertilizer use. The spatial variation in sustainability offers insights for policymakers, helping them to understand the interdependencies of sustainable agricultural production and target interventions where they are most needed.