Indicator-Based Evaluation of Türkiye’s Water–Energy–Food Nexus Profile for Sustainable Development

The Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus rests on the reality that interlinkages among resources are mutually interdependent; changes in one sector can have significant repercussions in the others. To this end, several methods, models, and tools are being developed to analyze interconnections, to measure resource use, and to develop integrated policies. In this study, the WEF Nexus concept and its component interactions are examined using a nexus framework and flow diagrams based on WEF resources. Türkiye’s water and energy resources, food production, climatic conditions, and greenhouse gas emissions are presented in depth, drawing on up-to-date data sources. The WEF Nexus Index and its outputs for Türkiye over 2019–2023 are compared at both global and OECD scales. The WEF Nexus Index is a composite indicator that evaluates national resource performance by combining 21 equally weighted parameters across water, energy, and food. Official WEF Nexus Index data are used to assess Türkiye’s global position among 181 countries. By accounting for “access” and “availability” dimensions for each resource, the index enables indicators to be evaluated on a 0–100 scale. For 2023, Türkiye’s WEF Nexus Index stands at 56.6, while the water, energy, and food sub-indices are 58.5, 44.0, and 67.3, respectively. Türkiye ranked 67th among 181 countries in 2019 and 90th in 2023. Over the five years, Türkiye’s average WEF Index is 58.7; sub-index averages are 65.2 for water, 44.9 for energy, and 65.8 for food. It has exhibited relatively low performance, particularly in energy. Within the WEF Nexus, availability scores of 45.5 for water, 19.5 for energy, and 58.4 for food negatively affect sustainable development. Taken together, these results indicate that to ensure balanced resource use and national food security, Türkiye must manage its limited water resources accurately and efficiently, and adopt environmentally sensitive, renewable energy oriented, and coherent policies.