Joint Life Cycle Assessment and Data Envelopment Analysis for the benchmarking of environmental impacts in rice paddy production. (1st November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mohammadi, Ali; Rafiee, Shahin; Jafari, Ali; Keyhani, Alireza; Dalgaard, Tommy; Knudsen, Marie Trydeman; Nguyen, Thu Lan T.; Borek, Robert; Hermansen, John E.
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 106(2015:Nov. 01)
• Page Start: 521
• Page End: 532
• Publication Date: 2015-11-01
• Subjects: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) -- Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) -- Rice paddy -- Growing season -- Technical efficiency -- Economic savings; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.05.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: The combined implementation of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) has been identified as a suitable tool for the evaluation of the environmental and economic performance of multiple similar entities. In this study, a total of 82 rice paddy fields for spring and summer growing seasons in north of Iran were assessed using a combined LCA and DEA methodology to estimate the technical efficiency of each farmer. Furthermore, the environmental consequences of operational inefficiencies were quantified and target performance values benchmarked for inefficient units so that eco-efficiency criteria were verified. Results showed average reduction levels of up to 20% and 25% per material input for spring and summer systems, leading to impact reductions which ranged from 8% to 11% for spring farms and 19% to 25% for summer farms depending on the chosen impact category. Additionally, the potential economic savings from efficient farming operations were also determined. The economic results indicate that an added annual gross margin of 0.045 $ per 1 kg rice paddy could be achieved if inefficient units converted to an efficient operation. Highlights: Analysis of 82 rice paddy farms by LCA + DEA method for spring and summer systems. Summer fields have higher values for all impacts. Mean impact reductions from 8% to 11% (spring farms), and 19% to 25% (summer farms). Identification the best performing units was carried out via a super-efficiency analysis.