Balance energético como indicador de sostenibilidad en sistemas de producción agrícola

Abstract

Agricultural production systems are currently facing difficulties from the point of view of the energy balance, due to the increase in consumption of fossil fuels and the decrease in crop production. The objective of the descriptive study was to compare the energy efficiency of agro-ecological and conventional production systems by means of a balance of the energy consumed and produced in the cultivation of maize; to this end, surveys were applied to decision makers in each production system, determining the absolute and relative frequencies related to human and animal labour activities; and the use of seeds, agricultural machinery, fertilizers and pesticides, in addition to energy efficiency. In the agro-ecological production system, for each kcal consumed in the production process of 1 ha of corn, 6.3 kcal were produced (positive balance) and in the conventional system where chemical inputs external to the productive property are used, for each kcal consumed, 0.75 kcal were produced (negative balance). The positive energy balance influences the sustainability of the system in the medium and long term; and the care of the environment, not so in the conventional production system where the environment is affected.