A model calculation of the carbon footprint of agricultural products: The case of Slovenia

Abstract

The pursuit of sustainable development entails a strategic policy decision for all modern countries. Greenhouse gas abatement, the utilisation of renewable energy sources, and energy efficiency represent the main pillars of sustainable development. Agriculture contributes a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions and concurrently represents a carbon dioxide (CO2) sink; it thus has twofold opposing impacts on climate change. The carbon footprint of agricultural products is one of main measures for monitoring the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural productivity processes. A model calculation of the carbon footprint in the agricultural sector was developed in order to calculate the carbon footprint of grains, fruit, and other agriculture products based on a calculation of total greenhouse gas emissions resulting from production, from the beginning of the production process to storage and delivery to the final consumer or the food industry. The first obstacles in such a calculation are the availability of input data on energy consumption by unit of land for all forms of agricultural land preparation and other work required for sowing, fertilisation, plant protection, harvesting, internal transportation, and other work. The mineral diesel fuel consumption of tractors with various connected machines and self-propelled work machines (e.g. harvesters or forage harvesters for maize) were measured. In addition, the energy consumption required for harvesting and the internal transport of crops on farms itself was included. The results of the model calculation of the carbon footprint of agricultural products consider the type of farming production for three different sizes of farms and for two scenarios regarding soil tillage and seeding.