This paper was commissioned as part of the Valuing Vital Resources research series focused on the Arab
Gulf region. All countries in the region have a sensitive and interlinked relationship between oil, gas, water and food. This means policy to achieve sustainability in one area must also take into account its effects on others. Many participants in the workshops for this project were interested in how modeling resources in a more integrated way could help improve decision-making based on a better understanding of where value should be more effectively reflected in price. The short case study presented in this paper explains a publicly available and evolving water–energy–food nexus tool. On the basis of Qatar’s stated policy objective of increasing national food self-sufficiency, it shows what would happen with ‘business as usual’ practices if the country were to meet its food security aspirations. The analysis highlights where goals will not be achievable without substantial policy interventions, raising questions over whether current objectives are realistic, and – if they are to be pursued – what needs to be changed to ensure the least damage to other resources or sectors.