Economics of Low Carbon Agriculture

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Moran ◽  
Jorie Knook
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Global Food Security

Climate change is already having a significant impact on agriculture through greater weather variability and the increasing frequency of extreme events. International policy is rightly focused on adapting and transforming agricultural and food production systems to reduce vulnerability. But agriculture also has a role in terms of climate change mitigation. The agricultural sector accounts for approximately a third of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, including related emissions from land-use change and deforestation. Farmers and land managers have a significant role to play because emissions reduction measures can be taken to increase soil carbon sequestration, manage fertilizer application, and improve ruminant nutrition and waste. There is also potential to improve overall productivity in some systems, thereby reducing emissions per unit of product. The global significance of such actions should not be underestimated. Existing research shows that some of these measures are low cost relative to the costs of reducing emissions in other sectors such as energy or heavy industry. Some measures are apparently cost-negative or win–win, in that they have the potential to reduce emissions and save production costs. However, the mitigation potential is also hindered by the biophysical complexity of agricultural systems and institutional and behavioral barriers limiting the adoption of these measures in developed and developing countries. This includes formal agreement on how agricultural mitigation should be treated in national obligations, commitments or targets, and the nature of policy incentives that can be deployed in different farming systems and along food chains beyond the farm gate. These challenges also overlap growing concern about global food security, which highlights additional stressors, including demographic change, natural resource scarcity, and economic convergence in consumption preferences, particularly for livestock products. The focus on reducing emissions through modified food consumption and reduced waste is a recent agenda that is proving more controversial than dealing with emissions related to production.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Low-Carbon Sustainable Technologies in Agriculture Sector through Grey Ordinal Priority Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-26
Author(s):  
Shajedul Islam
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Agricultural Technologies ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Sustainable Technologies ◽  
Agriculture Sector

The agriculture sector plays a vital role in the economy, society, and environment, the three dimensions of sustainability. The agriculture sector contributes 12% to 14% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the atmosphere, negatively impacting climate change. Using low-carbon and sustainable agricultural technologies can help mitigate climate change and global food security issues. But selecting and prioritizing the best technologies among all alternatives has always been an issue for decision-makers because of various uncertainty related to the agricultural sector. Therefore, the current study intends to identify and prioritize the key low-carbon and sustainable agricultural technologies. The current study makes a pioneering attempt in employing the Grey Ordinal Priority Approach (OPA-G), a modern multi-attribute decision-making technique, for the evaluation of low-carbon and sustainable technologies for the agricultural sector.  

scholarly journals Fatalism, Climate Resiliency Training and Farmers’ Adaptation Responses: Implications for Sustainable Rainfed-Wheat Production in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasir Mahmood ◽  
Muhammad Arshad ◽  
Harald Kaechele ◽  
Muhammad Faisal Shahzad ◽  
Ayat Ullah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Logit Model ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Market Access ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Multinomial Logit Model ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Rainfed Farming ◽  
Rainfed Wheat

Climate change is a severe threat to the agricultural sector in general and to rainfed farming in particular. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that can potentially affect the adaptation process against climate change. This study focused on wheat farmers and farming systems in the rainfed agroecological zone of Pakistan. Farmers’ data related to climate change fatalism, the availability of climate-specific extension services, socioeconomic and institutional variables, and farm characteristics were collected. A logit model to assess farmers’ decisions to adopt an adaptation measure and a multinomial logit model to assess their choice of various adaptation measures were used. The results showed that fatalistic farmers were unlikely to implement climate change adaptation measures. The variables related to the climate-specific extension services, including farmers’ participation in training on climate-resilient crop farming and the availability of mobile communication-based advisory services, had highly significant and positive impacts on farmers’ decisions and their choice of adaptation measures. Input market access and tractor ownership also had positive and significant impacts on farmers’ decisions to adapt and their choice of adaptation measures. This study highlights the need to improve rainfed-wheat farmers’ education levels to change their fatalistic attitudes towards climate change. Furthermore, government action is needed to provide climate-specific extension services to ensure sustainable production levels that will ultimately lead to food and livelihood security under a changing climate.

PESTICIDE AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXTERNALITIES FROM US AGRICULTURE — THE IMPACT OF THEIR INTERNALIZATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE

2013 ◽  
Vol 04 (03) ◽  
pp. 1350008 ◽  
Author(s):  
NIKOLINKA SHAKHRAMANYAN ◽  
UWE A. SCHNEIDER ◽  
BRUCE A. McCARL
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Net Income ◽  
Gas Emission ◽  
Emission Mitigation ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Impact

Climate change may affect the use of pesticides and their associated environmental and human health impacts. This study employs and modifies a partial equilibrium model of the US agricultural sector to examine the effects of alternative regulations of the pesticide and greenhouse gas emission externality. Simulation results indicate that without pesticide externality regulations and low greenhouse gas emission mitigation strategy, climate change benefits from increased agricultural production in the US are more than offset by increased environmental costs. Although the combined regulation of pesticide and greenhouse gas emission externalities increases farmers' production costs, their net income effects are positive because of price adjustments and associated welfare shifts from consumers to producers. The results also show heterogeneous impacts on preferred pest management intensities across major crops. While pesticide externality regulations lead to substantial increases in total water use, climate policies induce the opposite effect.

scholarly journals Growing Organic Heirloom Tomatoes in the Field and High Tunnels in North Carolina: Comparative Economic Analysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olha Sydorovych ◽  
Cary L. Rivard ◽  
Suzanne O’Connell ◽  
Chris D. Harlow ◽  
Mary M. Peet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Open Field ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
High Tunnels

In this study, we conducted an economic analysis of high tunnel and open-field production systems of heirloom tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) based on a two-year study at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) located in Goldsboro, eastern North Carolina. The research site was transitional organic using organically certified inputs and practices on land not yet certified. Production costs and returns were documented in each system and provide a useful decision tool for growers. Climatic conditions varied dramatically in 2007 compared with 2008 and differentially affected total and marketable yields in each system. Profits were higher in the open-field system and the high tunnels in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using a range of market prices from $1.60/lb to $3.60/lb and a range of fruit marketability levels from 35% to 80%. Both systems were profitable except at the lowest price point and the lowest percent marketability level in high tunnel in 2007. At $2.60/lb, seasonal average sale price reported by growers for this region, and depending on percent marketability levels, the payback period for high tunnels ranged from two to five years. Presented sensitivity tables will enable decision makers to knowledgably estimate economic potential of open-field and high tunnel systems based on expected local prices and fruit quality parameters.

scholarly journals Innovating Traditional Production Systems Through On-Farm Conservation Agriculture and Agroforestry Research

2022 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Fonteyne ◽  
Columba Silva Avendaño ◽  
Angel Ramos Sanchez ◽  
Juan Pablo Torres Zambrano ◽  
Fernando García Dávila ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Sustainable Intensification ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
On Farm Conservation ◽  
Input Use ◽  
Traditional Production ◽  
Set Up

Maize (Zea mays L.), the staple crop of Mexico, is often produced by smallholder farmers on sloping terrains. Historically, little agronomic research has been performed under the conditions of these farmers to support them in the sustainable intensification of their production systems. We set up trials at two locations in the state of Oaxaca to evaluate conservation agriculture and agroforestry in collaboration with local farmers. Crop diversification through crop rotations, multicropping, relay cropping or agroforestry increased system yields the most, by up to 1.4 t ha−1 in Teopoxco and 1.7 t ha−1 in Tamazulapam. Increased input use through increased fertilization or liming did not increase profitability enough to justify their use. Zero tillage and residue retention increased yields and reduced production costs. Conservation agriculture with agroforestry was a high-yielding, profitable system that also reduced farmers' risk by providing several harvests per year. The most profitable combinations of agroforestry and conservation agriculture could produce up to $4,854 USD ha−1 in Teopoxco and $2,143 USD ha−1 in Tamazulapam, while the control treatments in the same sites and years produced $175 USD ha−1 and $92 USD ha−1 respectively. In several years the main crop failed, while the trees were able to produce due to their different growing season compared to maize. Through adaptive investigation under farmers' conditions, sustainable intensification of traditional production system is possible with low-cost changes that are locally adapted and within farmers' possibilities.

scholarly journals Public Sector Responses to Climate Change: Evaluating the Role of Scottish Local Government in Implementing the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009

1970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Jackson ◽  
William Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Carbon Consumption ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Carbon Footprints ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation

Effective climate change actions demand collaborative action from public bodies at all levels, placing local governance at the forefront of delivery. Scottish legislation imposes some of the most demanding legally-binding requirements for reducing greenhouse gas emissions currently to be found anywhere in the world. The new climate change obligations on Scottish local government are reviewed in the context of current Scottish emissions and UK energy policies. Analysis indicates that the pattern of carbon consumption rather than its production must be targeted, and that local government is well-placed to deliver many of the policies to this end. Case studies of Fife and Highland Councils show how Scottish local authorities (SLAs) are planning to discharge their climate change mitigation and adaptation responsibilities. Energy efficiency is driving the mitigation of carbon consumption, while new techniques for measuring carbon footprints are being used to adapt the development process to a low carbon mode. SLAs must pursue low-cost local climate change solutions not just to enhance the resilience of Scottish communities but also to demonstrate the feasibility of such approaches for local governance systems elsewhere in the face of growing financial constraints. Recent changes in Scottish waste management practices indicate the potential in this respect.

Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Agriculture and Forestry

2013 ◽  
pp. 18-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vesna Popović ◽  
Nada Mijajlović
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Adaptive Capacity ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Danube Basin ◽  
Mitigation Potential ◽  
Local Impacts ◽  
The Impact

Although climate change is a global process, its local impacts are diverse. Existing agro-ecological conditions, structure of production, various production systems, technological development, socio-economic factors, and international competition and policy choices will determine the impact that climate change will have on the agricultural and forestry sectors and their adaptive capacity and mitigation potential. The authors use the Danube basin area in Serbia as a case study to test the hypothesis that only sustainable agriculture, based on optimum balance of different types of farming systems and practices and satisfying a range of the region’s specific ecological, social, and economic functions, as well as sustainable forestry, can cope successfully with the climate change. The main topics of the analysis are the climate change trends and impacts on agriculture and forestry and the assessment of their adaptive capacity and mitigation potential, including the proposition of relevant adaptation and mitigation measures.

scholarly journals Geographies of Transition: Narrating environmental activism in an age of climate change and ‘Peak Oil’

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stewart Barr ◽  
Justin Pollard
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Environmental Activism ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Peak Oil ◽  
Critical Scholarship ◽  
Political Relations ◽  
New Form ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Uk

The growth of community-based Transition Town initiatives in countries like the UK, USA and Canada is popularly perceived to represent a broad, socially inclusive and grounded approach to tackling environmental problems in place-based communities. In focusing on resilience as a core theme, so-called re-localisation initiatives attempt to adopt consensus based approaches to decision making and to highlight the need for an ‘inner transition’ of the self that encourages closer connections between individuals and nature. In this way, Transition has been framed as a new form of social and environmental movement that is re-casting community and political relations for a low carbon and post ‘Peak oil’ future. Yet despite these emergent philosophies of Transition and the considerable scholarship being generated on the role and success of such initiatives, there is an urgent need to situate and analyse Transition within broader understandings of environmental activism. Using data from a two year research project on ‘Values in Transition’, this paper argues that the praxis and spatial complexity of Transition can be understood more deeply through a narrative lens. In mobilising critical scholarship on environmental activism, the paper calls for a ‘Transition Geographies’ that views re-localisation as a dynamic and complex coalescence of competing narratives that sit between traditional forms of environmental activism and directive initiatives for individual behaviour change. As such, the paper highlights the ways in which this new form of environmental activism is shaping praxis across space, and the implications this has for those advocating re-localisation as a strategy for tackling climate change and resource scarcity.

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