Can Precise Irrigation Support the Sustainability of Protected Cultivation? A Life-Cycle Assessment and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

Abstract

To address sustainability challenges, agricultural advances in Mediterranean horticultural systems will necessitate a paradigmatic shift toward smart technologies, the impacts of which from a life cycle perspective have to be explored. Using life cycle thinking approaches, this study evaluated the synergistic environmental and economic performance of precise irrigation in greenhouse Zucchini production following a cradle-to-farm gate perspective. A cloud-based decision support system and a sensor-based irrigation management system (both referred to as “smart irrigation” approaches) were analyzed and compared to the farmer’s experience-based irrigation. The potential environmental indicators were quantified using life cycle assessment (LCA) with the ReCiPe 2016 method. For the economic analysis, life cycle costing (LCC) was applied, accounting not only for private product costs but also for so-called “hidden” or “external” environmental costs by monetizing LCA results. Smart irrigation practices exhibited similar performance, consuming on average 38.2% less irrigation water and energy, thus generating environmental benefits ranging from 0.17% to 62%. Single score results indicated that life cycle environmental benefits are up to 13% per ton of product. The cost-benefit analysis results showed that even though the implementation of smart irrigation imposes upfront investment costs, these costs are offset by the benefits to water and energy conservation associated with these practices. The reduction of investment costs and higher water costs in future, and lower internal rate of return can further enhance the profitability of smart irrigation strategies. The overall results of this study highlight that smart and innovative irrigation practices can enhance water-energy efficiency, gaining an economic advantage while also reducing the environmental burdens of greenhouse cultivation in a Mediterranean context.

Life cycle cost analysis of agri-food products: A systematic review

“…emission costs validated by the US government (Smith and Lal, 2022)). The remaining papers (4) included more externalities in the LCC than only the atmospheric pollutants, for example water pollutants, soil pollutants, externalities of transport and land use change (Albizzati et al, 2021), all environmental indicators from the LCA (Canaj et al, 2021a;Canaj et al, 2022) and noise (Dobon et al, 2011). To calculate the costs of these externalities most studies multiplied LCA results with cost values from literature, while Blanc et al (2018) and Blanc et al (2019) used the value of a life year (VOLY) approach to calculate the costs of externalities to society.…”

Decarbonization of Agriculture: The Greenhouse Gas Impacts and Economics of Existing and Emerging Climate-Smart Practices

“…Smart irrigation can be achieved through variable rate irrigation, microirrigation systems, soil moisture detection, temperature measurements, and other metrics collected through sensors, and the application of artificial intelligence and automated systems . For example, using a cloud-based decision support system and a sensor-based irrigation management system for greenhouse-produced zucchini, researchers were able to demonstrate a 38.2% reduction in irrigation water needs . However, this increased water use efficiency, while potentially allowing expansion of agricultural production and lower energy costs, does not necessarily lead to water conservation or cost savings for the water itself .…”

“…143 For example, using a cloud-based decision support system and a sensor-based irrigation management system for greenhouse-produced zucchini, researchers were able to demonstrate a 38.2% reduction in irrigation water needs. 144 However, this increased water use efficiency, while potentially allowing expansion of agricultural production and lower energy costs, does not necessarily lead to water conservation or cost savings for the water itself. 18 This is particularly relevant in locations with "use it or lose it" policies that incentivize the full consumption of water rights.…”

Resource Use and Environmental Impacts of Seed and Vegetative Globe Artichoke Production in Mediterranean Environments: A Cradle-to-Farm Gate Analysis

“…The adoption of precise farming strategies and tools may provide the basis for more efficient use of critical inputs (fertilizers, water, and fuel) and reduce environmental impacts. The ability of smart farming to reduce environmental impacts is demonstrated in rice [40], olives [41], zucchini [42], and vineyard [43] production.…”