Environmental Assessment of Integrated Food and Cooking Fuel Production for a Village in Ghana

Andreas Kamp,Simon Bolwig,Hanne Østergård

doi:10.3390/su8050404

Andreas Kamp, Simon Bolwig + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su8050404

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Apr 26, 2016
Citations: 2	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Technical University of Denmark

Abstract

Small-scale farming in Ghana is typically associated with synthetic fertilizer dependence and soil degradation. The farmers often rely on wood fuel for cooking imported from outside the farmland, a practice that is associated with deforestation. Integration of food and energy production may be a holistic approach to solving these issues. We study four approaches to providing food and fuel for cooking in a small-scale farming community. Present practice (PP) of synthetic fertilizer based food production and provision of wood fuel from outside the farming area is compared to three modeled, integrated technology options: integrated food and household-scale biogas production (HH Biogas), integrated food and village-scale biogas production (Village Biogas), and integrated food and wood fuel production (Agroforestry). Integrated approaches are able to eliminate the import of wood fuel, reduce synthetic fertilizer use by 24%, 35% and 44% and soil loss by 15%, 20% and 87%, respectively, compared to present practice. An Emergy Assessment (EmA) shows that integrated approaches are relevant substitutes to present practice considering biophysical efficiency indicated by Unit Emergy Value (in solar emjoules (sej) per J of output) and dependence on renewable inputs indicated by the Global Renewability Fraction (in %): 2.6–3.0 × 105 sej/J and 38%–48% (PP), 2.5–2.8 × 105 sej/J and 41%–46% (HH Biogas), 2.4–2.6 × 105 sej/J and 45%–47% (Village Biogas), 1.7–2.4 × 105 sej/J and 49%–66% (Agroforestry). Systematic recycling and use of local resources may play a pivotal role in reducing the dependence on non-renewable resources in Ghanaian farming, ensuring long-term soil fertility and stemming the current deforestation of wood reserves.

Highlights

A key argument in the debate on sustainable development is that societies must transition away from the high use of fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources because of increased scarcity and/or due to their harmful effects on the environment including the climate [1,2,3]
We studied the provision of food and cooking fuel in a village in rural area Ghana through a comparison of four technology options: present practice, household-scale biogas, village-scale biogas, and agroforestry, where the latter three approaches integrate food and energy production in different ways
Are integrated food and bioenergy systems the way forward for transitioning small-scale agriculture in Ghana? Our analyses have demonstrated that the integrated approaches are functional alternatives to the present farming system in the study area and relevant in terms of key biophysical indicators

Summary

Introduction

A key argument in the debate on sustainable development is that societies must transition away from the high use of fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources because of increased scarcity and/or due to their harmful effects on the environment including the climate [1,2,3]. Such a transition involves finding alternatives to a range of common farm inputs without further depleting soil and forest resources. Østergård et al suggest that a paradigm shift in modern agriculture is necessary to deal with major environmental problems, especially soil deterioration, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, and pollution [8]

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