Abstract
Agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. The growing global population is putting pressure on agricultural production systems that aim to secure food production while minimising GHG emissions. In this study, the GHG emissions associated with the production of major food commodities in India are calculated using the Cool Farm Tool. GHG emissions, based on farm management for major crops (including cereals like wheat and rice, pulses, potatoes, fruits and vegetables) and livestock-based products (milk, eggs, chicken and mutton meat), are quantified and compared. Livestock and rice production were found to be the main sources of GHG emissions in Indian agriculture with a country average of 5.65 kg CO2eq kg−1 rice, 45.54 kg CO2eq kg−1 mutton meat and 2.4 kg CO2eq kg−1 milk. Production of cereals (except rice), fruits and vegetables in India emits comparatively less GHGs with <1 kg CO2eq kg−1 product. These findings suggest that a shift towards dietary patterns with greater consumption of animal source foods could greatly increase GHG emissions from Indian agriculture. A range of mitigation options are available that could reduce emissions from current levels and may be compatible with increased future food production and consumption demands in India.
Generated Summary
This research investigates the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production of major food commodities in India, aiming to understand the implications for climate change mitigation. The study employs the Cool Farm Tool to calculate GHG emissions from the production of crops (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables) and livestock-based products (milk, eggs, chicken, mutton). The research assesses the variability of emissions across different Indian regions, considering diverse management practices. The core objective is to identify emission hotspots within the Indian agricultural system and evaluate potential mitigation strategies. The study focuses on a national scale, comparing farm-level GHG emissions of major food commodities. The methods include data from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics of the Government of India, and the locations of households selected for the survey, which forms the foundation of the activity data used in this study. The study’s focus is on agricultural produce.
Key Findings & Statistics
- The study found that livestock and rice production are the main sources of GHG emissions in Indian agriculture.
- The average GHG emissions for rice production were 5.65 kg CO2eq kg-1.
- Mutton meat production had an average of 45.54 kg CO2eq kg-1.
- Milk production had an average of 2.4 kg CO2eq kg-1.
- Production of cereals (except rice), fruits, and vegetables in India emits comparatively less GHGs with <1 kg CO2eq kg-1 product.
- The study analyzed a set of 20 food items, representing about 72% of reported food consumption in the Indian Migration Study (IMS).
- The highest GHG emissions among crops are associated with paddy rice production.
- GHG emissions per kg of livestock product vary markedly between livestock types. GHG emissions are highest for mutton meat, followed by other livestock production such as poultry and dairy (milk).
- Mean GHG emissions were <1 kg CO2eq kg¯¹ product for all crops except rice.
- Rice and livestock products contribute the most to total dietary GHG emissions, with the third contributor being ruminant meat.
- Cereals other than rice and fruit products account for 12.9% and 22.5% of reported consumption by weight, yet as their emissions per unit of product are low, they make a relatively small contribution to total dietary GHG emissions, representing only 3.2% and 1.1% of total emissions, respectively.
- In India, the yields for cereals, pulses, and potatoes have increased over recent years, but are still only half of those recorded in Western Europe and North America (FAOSTAT, 2015).
Other Important Findings
- A shift towards dietary patterns with greater consumption of animal source foods could greatly increase GHG emissions from Indian agriculture.
- A range of mitigation options are available that could reduce emissions from current levels and may be compatible with increased future food production and consumption demands in India.
- The main reason for the wide range in GHG emissions seen in rice is water management, which is the main determinant of CH4 emissions. Continuous flooding generates the highest CH4 emissions, while longer and more frequent periods of water drainage reduces emissions.
- The groups “other cereals” (i.e. bajra, barley, maize, ragi and jowar), and “other pulses” (i.e. black, red and green gram), had broadly similar GHG emissions.
- Emissions from vegetable oil crops showed more variation across the different crops (i.e. coconut, rapeseed, soybean, safflower, sesamum, sunflower).
- GHG emissions per kcal show a different ranking, although products from ruminant animals have the highest emissions using all metrics.
- The study uses the Cool Farm Tool (CFT) is a GHG emission calculator which allows users to estimate annual GHG emissions associated with the production of crops or livestock products from production to the farm gate.
- GHG emissions from livestock products were calculated using the approach of Herrero et al. (2013) which provides data on GHG emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management for several animal groups.
Limitations Noted in the Document
- The study excludes fish and seafood from its analysis due to low consumption levels within the IMS sample, which would have required additional methodological effort.
- The methods used for calculating GHG emissions may vary across different studies due to different boundary conditions.
- The study acknowledges that the reported estimates of GHG emissions from farm management differ partly because each uses different boundary conditions.
- The analysis does not account for processing or transport after the farm-gate, focusing solely on farm-level emissions.
- The results are based on a specific set of food items chosen from the Indian Migration Study (IMS), and the findings might not fully represent the entire range of food products consumed in India.
Conclusion
The study’s findings highlight the significance of livestock and rice production as major contributors to GHG emissions in Indian agriculture, underscoring the need for targeted mitigation strategies. The research indicates that a transition towards increased consumption of animal-based products could exacerbate GHG emissions unless production efficiency improves. The study emphasizes the need for a nuanced approach to dietary recommendations, considering both the environmental and nutritional implications. The study underscores that in on-farm management, dietary change could help to decrease GHG emissions considerably, but advice to change dietary intakes to reduce GHG emissions would need to consider the nutritional implications, so as not to compromise health. In addition to general measures to improve efficient use of nutrients and organic matter stocks, there is also likely to be benefit in developing support mechanisms to target those products with the highest emissions per unit of production. The findings suggest a need to balance food security with environmental sustainability by promoting efficient production practices and considering the nutritional and health implications of dietary shifts. The overall message is that a comprehensive approach, addressing both production practices and consumption patterns, is essential for achieving sustainable and low-carbon agricultural development in India, by reduceing emissions through more efficient production and targeted mitigation measures, especially in the livestock sector and for rice production.