Agriculture
Surur Khorramdel; Mehdi Nassiri Mahallati; Abdollah Soltan Ahmadi; Mina Hooshmand; Mohammad Javad Mostafavi
Abstract
Carbon footprint (CF) is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of farmlands. Since the used inputs have an important role in greenhouse gas emissions, CF as an ecological indicator have been extensively applied for assessing the environmental externalities in agroecosystems. This study ...
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Carbon footprint (CF) is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of farmlands. Since the used inputs have an important role in greenhouse gas emissions, CF as an ecological indicator have been extensively applied for assessing the environmental externalities in agroecosystems. This study was conducted to estimate the CF and carbon efficiency (CE) of saffron production systems in North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan and South Khorasan provinces. Also, life cycle assessment analysis is calculated for quantifying the impact of saffron farming activity on the environment. Studied indices were global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential )AP) and eutrophication potential in terrestrial (UPT) and aquatic (UPA) sub-categories, N2Odirect, N2Oindirect, N2O emissions affected as volatilization and leaching, carbon inputs (Ci), carbon outputs (Co), CF and CE. The results revealed that the lowest GWP for saffron production systems was related to south Khorasan with 339.43 kg CO2 equiv./ one kg flower yield. The minimum environmental index (EcoX) was recorded for south Khorasan (0.039 EcoX/ one kg flower yield). N2O emissions in South Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan and North Khorasan provinces were estimated with 95974.51, 199674.4 and 344723 kg N2O per one ha, respectively. The largest N2O emissions affected as leaching and volatilization were calculated for North Khorasan province (with 1.21 and 24.23 kg N2O per one ha, respectively). The maximum Ci and Co were related to North Khorasan province with 117986.52 and 15135.56 kg C per one ha, respectively. The largest CF and CE were computed for North Khorasan and south Khorasan provinces with 7.8 and 0.18, respectively. It concluded that adoption on conservation and reduced tillages, N2- fixing pulses, cover crops and green manures in rotations with saffron and increased nitrogen use efficiency as ecological approaches can optimize the system performance while reducing environmental externalities and the carbon footprint of the crop cultivation. So, with relevant agro-environmental policies in saffron production systems along with the adoption of improved agronomical practices increasing flower yield with no cost the environment can be achieved effectively, efficiently and economically.
Economics and Marketing
Amin Nezamoleslami; Lili Abolhassani; Naser Shahnoushi; Alireza Karbasi; Dariush Khezrimotlagh
Abstract
The production of saffron as one of the most expensive agricultural and pharmaceutical products in the world has a high comparative advantage. Considering the importance of producing this product in Iran as an important non-oil export commodity and its role as a strategic, the estimation of the indirect ...
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The production of saffron as one of the most expensive agricultural and pharmaceutical products in the world has a high comparative advantage. Considering the importance of producing this product in Iran as an important non-oil export commodity and its role as a strategic, the estimation of the indirect environmental costs associated with the emission of its pollutants is necessary. The purpose of this study was to calculate the environmental costs of greenhouse gas emissions in Saffron farms in the Torbat Hadiriyah township. In order to collect data (such as chemical fertilizers, irrigation, labor, animal manure and gasoline) a questionnaire and face-to-face interviews were used in the crop years 2017 and 2018.To investigate the relationship between good and bad output, the distance function is used as a parametric form of the translog. The results show that global warming potential (GWP) was calculated to be 369/24 kg equivalent to CO2 per kilogram of saffron straw. Also the environmental cost of greenhouse gases, methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide per hectare, according to a seven-year period, are: 77/888/700, 212/742/820 and 76/289/200 Rials, respectively. In total, the production of saffron over a seven-year period imposes an expense of 366/920/720 million Rials on the environment regarding the emission of greenhouse gases. This is equal to 52/417/240 million Rials for a crop year in per one hectare. About 21% of the income earned per hectare. In the end, it is suggested that the tax policy on fertilizers and soil tillage systems be reviewed and analyzed to reduce the environmental impacts of the saffron production system.
