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Eco-Efficiency Assessment of Intensive Rice Production in Japan: Joint Application of Life Cycle Assessment and Data Envelopment Analysis

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  • Kiyotaka Masuda

    (Department of Biological Resources Management, School of Environmental Science, The University of Shiga Prefecture, 2500 Hassaka-cho, Hikone, Shiga 522-8533, Japan)

Abstract

To promote sustainable agriculture worldwide, it is important to understand what constitutes eco-efficiency for rice, a staple food in many countries. This study examined whether expanding the scale of rice farming contributed to the improved eco-efficiency of intensive rice production in Japan. Both life cycle assessment (LCA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) were used to measure comprehensively the eco-efficiency of rice production. A DEA window analysis technique with two DEA inputs (global warming and eutrophication from the LCA results) and one DEA output (weight-based rice yield) was applied to the statistical data for 2005–2011 categorized by the size of rice farms. The results indicate that expanding the size of rice farms is an effective way of improving the eco-efficiency of intensive rice production in Japan. The important factors for improving eco-efficiency are the implementation of economies of scale, reduced outsourcing of farm work, and savings in chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Expansion of the size of rice farms through the recent abolition of the rice production adjustment program will also contribute to improving the eco-efficiency of Japanese rice production.

Suggested Citation

  • Kiyotaka Masuda, 2019. "Eco-Efficiency Assessment of Intensive Rice Production in Japan: Joint Application of Life Cycle Assessment and Data Envelopment Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:19:p:5368-:d:271674
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Min Yang & Quan Long & Wenli Li & Zhichao Wang & Xinhua He & Jie Wang & Xiaozhong Wang & Huaye Xiong & Chaoyi Guo & Guancheng Zhang & Bin Luo & Jun Qiu & Xinping Chen & Fusuo Zhang & Xiaojun Shi & Yue, 2020. "Mapping the Environmental Cost of a Typical Citrus-Producing County in China: Hotspot and Optimization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-18, February.
    6. Leonidas Sotirios Kyrgiakos & Georgios Kleftodimos & George Vlontzos & Panos M. Pardalos, 2023. "A systematic literature review of data envelopment analysis implementation in agriculture under the prism of sustainability," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 1-38, March.
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    8. Heidari, Mohammad Davoud & Turner, Ian & Ardestani-Jaafari, Amir & Pelletier, Nathan, 2021. "Operations research for environmental assessment of crop-livestock production systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    9. Rui Wang & Bing Xia & Suocheng Dong & Yu Li & Zehong Li & Duoxun Ba & Wenbiao Zhang, 2020. "Research on the Spatial Differentiation and Driving Forces of Eco-Efficiency of Regional Tourism in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-23, December.
    10. Kiyotaka Masuda, 2023. "Combined Application of a Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm and Life Cycle Assessment for Evaluating Environmentally Friendly Farming Practices in Japanese Rice Farms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, June.
    11. Changhee Kim & Hyunjung Kim & Kanghwa Choi, 2020. "Efficiency Analysis of Public Library Services Based on Establishing Entity and Outsourcing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-15, November.

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