Implementing solutions: a review exploring determinants for the implementation of solutions to food–energy–water system challenges

This article examines the advancements that food, energy, and water systems (FEWS) researchers have made in proposing and implementing solutions to FEWS issues. We examined 483 FEWS articles published between 2015 and 2023 to determine whether solutions were proposed or implemented and the factors leading to solution proposal and implementation. Our research suggests that only 18 of the articles led to solutions. Factors that contributed to finding solutions included the integration of stakeholders into the research project, the inclusion of governmental stakeholders, and the inclusion of diverse stakeholders. Although most manuscripts included computational or statistical models, our research suggests that they do not lead to the proposal or implementation of solutions, even when stakeholders are included. We call for greater incorporation of stakeholders in FEWS projects in order to more effectively address the environmental issues that arise in these systems.