Simulation of the Collection of Catch Crops for the Recovery of Agricultural Resources using Geographic and Statistical Data

Abstract

The cultivation of catch crops has great potential in agricultural areas for the recovery of nutrients, mitigation of groundwater contamination, and secondary utilization of harvestry. To estimate the potential volume of catch crops that can be collected at prospective locations, we simulated the cultivation and collection process at a regional scale using geographic and statistical data. Three types of geographic data, namely the locations of greenhouses, collecting stations and road networks, were used in a geographic information system to compute the volume of collected catch crops and carrying distance between greenhouses and collecting stations. Carbon emission from transportation of the catch crop was calculated using an improved ton‐km method, and the results were compared with the carbon content of the catch crop to evaluate the carbon balance. We found that the total fresh weight of the collected catch crops was 67900 t, of which 70% was collected at the top 15 of 73 stations. Carbon emissions from transportation ranged from >1 to 12% of the carbon content of the catch crop. The analytical method used in this study can readily be applied to other environmental studies concerning the collection of agricultural products and other biomass resources.

Site selection for catch crop processing facilities

“…This was based on our economic analysis, in which we determined the break-even point of a catch crop system to be 920 tons (Masuda et al 2014). This break-even point is approximately 1.4 % of the potential catch crop volume (68,000 tons) in the study area (Matsuoka et al 2016). Moreover, we decided, based on our economic assessment, that one or two facilities would be realistic in the study area.…”

“…Station addresses were expressed in terms of latitude and longitude using an address-matching service. The addresses were then corrected using an on-site survey and Internet mapping services (Matsuoka et al 2016). Seventy-three collection stations were included.…”

“…Farmers regularly transport their products for shipping, and as a result, we assumed that catch crops would also be taken to the collecting stations (Matsuoka et al 2016). The transport of catch crops to processing facilities was simulated in that study.…”

“…We estimated the potential volumes of catch crops collected at 73 collecting stations located in Kochi Prefecture (Matsuoka et al 2016). The area available for catch crop cultivation was derived from an agricultural census of the extent of greenhouse cultivation of four commercial vegetables.…”

“…The second step is the transfer from collecting stations to processing facilities operated by cooperatives or businesses. The first step was investigated by estimating the potential catch crop volume at each collecting station (Matsuoka et al 2016). We simulated the second step using previous estimation results.…”