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Accounting emergy flows to determine the best production model of a coffee plantation

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  • Giannetti, B.F.
  • Ogura, Y.
  • Bonilla, S.H.
  • Almeida, C.M.V.B.

Abstract

Cerrado, a savannah region, is Brazil's second largest ecosystem after the Amazon rainforest and is also threatened with imminent destruction. In the present study emergy synthesis was applied to assess the environmental performance of a coffee farm located in Coromandel, Minas Gerais, in the Brazilian Cerrado. The effects of land use on sustainability were evaluated by comparing the emergy indices along ten years in order to assess the energy flows driving the production process, and to determine the best production model combining productivity and environmental performance. The emergy indices are presented as a function of the annual crop. Results show that Santo Inácio farm should produce approximately 20 bags of green coffee per hectare to accomplish its best performance regarding both the production efficiency and the environment. The evaluation of coffee trade complements those obtained by contrasting productivity and environmental performance, and despite of the market prices variation, the optimum interval for Santo Inácio's farm is between 10 and 25coffee bags/ha.

Suggested Citation

  • Giannetti, B.F. & Ogura, Y. & Bonilla, S.H. & Almeida, C.M.V.B., 2011. "Accounting emergy flows to determine the best production model of a coffee plantation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(11), pages 7399-7407.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:39:y:2011:i:11:p:7399-7407
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2011.09.005
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    1. Dong, Xiaobin & Ulgiati, Sergio & Yan, Maochao & Zhang, Xinshi & Gao, Wangsheng, 2008. "Energy and eMergy evaluation of bioethanol production from wheat in Henan Province, China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 3882-3892, October.
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    6. Giannetti, B.F. & Ogura, Y. & Bonilla, S.H. & Almeida, C.M.V.B., 2011. "Emergy assessment of a coffee farm in Brazilian Cerrado considering in a broad form the environmental services, negative externalities and fair price," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 104(9), pages 679-688.
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    2. Agostinho, F. & Oliveira, M.W. & Pulselli, F.M. & Almeida, C.M.V.B. & Giannetti, B.F., 2019. "Emergy accounting as a support for a strategic planning towards a regional sustainable milk production," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    3. Tan, Kangming & Li, Yuliang & Chen, Yun & Liu, Fangdan & Ou, Jingmin & Zhang, Yuhan & Wang, Xiaolong, 2022. "Modified framework to reflect contribution of soil storage in emergy synthesis under different agricultural practices at farm level," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 465(C).
    4. Giannetti, B.F. & Demétrio, J.F.C. & Bonilla, S.H. & Agostinho, F. & Almeida, C.M.V.B., 2013. "Emergy diagnosis and reflections towards Brazilian sustainable development," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1002-1012.
    5. Chen, Shaoqing & Chen, Bin, 2014. "Energy efficiency and sustainability of complex biogas systems: A 3-level emergetic evaluation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 151-163.
    6. Zuoxi Liu & Yongyang Wang & Shanshan Wang & Huijuan Dong & Yong Geng & Bing Xue & Jiaming Gu & Run Dong Li & Tianhua Yang, 2018. "An Emergy and Decomposition Assessment of China’s Crop Production: Sustainability and Driving Forces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-18, October.
    7. Wang, Xiaolong & Li, Zhejin & Long, Pan & Yan, Lingling & Gao, Wangsheng & Chen, Yuanquan & Sui, Peng, 2017. "Sustainability evaluation of recycling in agricultural systems by emergy accounting," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 117(PB), pages 114-124.
    8. Cristian Méndez Rodríguez & Juliana Salazar Benítez & Carlos Felipe Rengifo Rodas & Juan Carlos Corrales & Apolinar Figueroa Casas, 2022. "A Multidisciplinary Approach Integrating Emergy Analysis and Process Modeling for Agricultural Systems Sustainable Management—Coffee Farm Validation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-20, July.
    9. Yang, Q. & Chen, G.Q. & Liao, S. & Zhao, Y.H. & Peng, H.W. & Chen, H.P., 2013. "Environmental sustainability of wind power: An emergy analysis of a Chinese wind farm," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 229-239.
    10. Chen, Shaoqing & Chen, Bin, 2012. "Sustainability and future alternatives of biogas-linked agrosystem (BLAS) in China: An emergy synthesis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 3948-3959.
    11. Tamara Fonseca & Wagner C. Valenti & Biagio F. Giannetti & Fernando H. Gonçalves & Feni Agostinho, 2022. "Environmental Accounting of the Yellow-Tail Lambari Aquaculture: Sustainability of Rural Freshwater Pond Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-22, February.
    12. Chih‐Yu Yang & Ching‐Cheng Lu & Yung‐Ho Chiu & Tai‐Yu Lin, 2022. "Analysis of coffee production efficiency and productivity strategy in African and non‐African countries," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(4), pages 946-969, October.

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