FAWEN-based agrivoltaic integration framework for climate-resilient development in Sudan

Abstract

Sudan’s agricultural sector and rural communities face escalating climate variability, land degradation, and chronic energy scarcity. Yet, context-specific assessments of agrivoltaic (AV) deployment within an integrated nexus governance framework remain limited. Existing studies typically examine solar energy, irrigation, or agricultural adaptation in isolation, offering limited guidance for coordinated resource management in Sudan dryland environments. Addressing this gap, this review applies the FAWEN (Food–Agriculture–Water–Energy Nexus) framework, a refinement of conventional WEF approaches, to evaluate the technical feasibility and governance relevance of AV systems in Sudan. Using an interdisciplinary methodology combining solar-resource mapping, synthesis of techno-economic and ecological evidence, documented AV case studies, and bibliometric analysis, the study identifies key synergies and enabling conditions for FAWEN-oriented AV deployment in arid and semi-arid contexts. The assessment confirms Sudan’s high solar suitability, with Global Horizontal Irradiation (GHI) ranging from 5.8 to 6.8 kWh m−2 day−1 and photovoltaic output (PVOUT) of approximately 1.6–2.0 MWh kWp−1 yr−1. Evidence from comparable climatic regions indicates that well-designed AV systems have reported land equivalent ratios exceeding 1.3, water-use efficiency improvements of 20–35%, and measurable microclimate-modulation effects under heat-stress conditions. Beyond technical indicators, the study advances FAWEN as a governance-oriented analytical framework that positions agriculture as a regulatory interface linking renewable energy generation, irrigation management, and food-system resilience. By embedding AV systems within this integrative structure, the analysis illustrates how coordinated resource co-optimisation may support climate-resilient development pathways in Sudan. The findings contribute evidence-based insights for aligning AV deployment with Sudan’s Nationally Determined Contributions and progress toward Sustainable Development Goals 2, 6, 7, 13, and 15.