| Title |
Designing energy-efficient, economically sustainable and environmentally safe cropping system for the rainfed maize-fallow land of the Eastern Himalayas |
| ID_Doc |
22547 |
| Authors |
Babu, S; Mohapatra, KP; Das, A; Yadav, GS; Tahasildar, M; Singh, R; Panwar, AS; Yadav, V; Chandra, P |
| Title |
Designing energy-efficient, economically sustainable and environmentally safe cropping system for the rainfed maize-fallow land of the Eastern Himalayas |
| Year |
2020 |
| Published |
|
| DOI |
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137874 |
| Abstract |
Achieving a circular economic model in agriculture and meeting the food requirement of the growing population is a global challenge. The task is much more daunting in the Eastern Himalaya where low productive maize-fallow is a predominant production system. To enhance system productivity and energy use efficiency while maintaining environmental sustainability and economic profitability, therefore, energy-efficient, low carbon footprint (CF; CO2-e) and profitable short duration crops must be made an integral part of the maize fallow system. Thus, six cropping systems viz., maize-fallow, maize-French bean, maize-soybean, maize-black gram, maize-green gram, and maize-toria were evaluated for seven consecutive years (2011-2018) to assess their energy requirement and efficiency, carbon footprint (CF; CO2-e), economic returns and eco-efficiency. The results revealed that the maize-French bean system had the highest system productivity (11.4 Mg ha(-1)), energy productivity (17.9), energy profitability (15.9) and non-renewable energy use efficiency (9.97). The maize-French bean system had also the highest net profit (US$ 3764.5 ha(-1)) and benefit to cost ratio (2.54). The energy consumed under different inputs/activities across the cropping systems for chemical fertilizers, diesel and machinery ranged from 50.0-62.7%, 17.3-20.8% and 4.6-15.4%, respectively. The maize-fallow system had the highest CF (0.34 kg CO2 e per kg grain) while, themaize-French bean system had the lowest CF (0.19 kg CO2 e per kg grain). The maize-French bean system had also considerably increased eco-efficiency both in terms of energy use (US$ 0.23 MJ(-1)) and (US$ 1.78 per kg CO2 e) over maize-fallow system. Thus, the study has suggested that maizeFrench bean system is energy-efficient, economically viable and environmentally safer systems to utilize maize fallow and improve food security, may help in achieving green/circular economy. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. |
| Author Keywords |
Circular economy; Carbon footprint; Energy productivity; System economic efficiency; Non-renewable energy use efficiency |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) |
| EID |
WOS:000535472200008 |
| WoS Category |
Environmental Sciences |
| Research Area |
Environmental Sciences & Ecology |
| PDF |
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