Assessing the environmental impacts of agrifood production

Abstract

Agriculture, forestry, and other land use approximately contribute to 24 percent of 2010 global greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. This study, therefore, focuses on assessing the environmental impacts of jasmine rice production. The life cycle assessment method is used to find the hotspots that are of high environmental impacts. Face-to-face interviewing was conducted with 49 rice producers engaged in chemical, organic, and good agricultural practices in farming activities. The results show that most of the emissions were caused during the post-harvest management stage. Following eco-efficiency, organic jasmine rice production offers a reduction in the consumption of resources, reduced impact on the environment, and increased product value. Furthermore, our study shows that crop residue is a key to increase rice yields and decrease GHGs emissions. Our findings thus add to the limited literature on organic jasmine rice production and propose a recommendation for policymakers to promote sustainable agricultural practices to reduce the environmental impact.