دوماهنامه
نوع مقاله : مقالات پژوهشی
نویسندگان
گروه مهندسی آب، دانشگاه لرستان، لرستان، ایران
کلیدواژهها
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
Introduction
The agricultural sector’s strong dependence on water and energy resources for ensuring food security for the growing global population amplifies the necessity of enhancing water and energy efficiency in agricultural products, while simultaneously maintaining the health of society and the environment. Sustainable provision of water and energy is one of the main challenges to development in all countries. Since the agricultural sector is one of the largest consumers of water and energy, any disruption in their supply can significantly impact agricultural production levels. Increasing efficiency and optimizing energy consumption management are key strategies for mitigating the environmental effects caused by food production processes. This approach not only creates economic benefits but also plays a crucial role in achieving the long-term sustainability of production systems through the conservation of fossil resources and reduction of air pollution. Consequently, extensive research has been focused on energy management. On the other hand, unsustainable use of agricultural inputs such as chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and fossil fuels leads to serious consequences, including global warming, biodiversity loss, and degradation of soil and air quality. Therefore, sustainable management of these inputs is essential and inevitable for maintaining environmental balance and achieving sustainable development. Thus, the challenges of food security and the need for sustainability of energy resources in modern agriculture have heightened the importance of assessing energy consumption efficiency. Energy footprint analysis serves as an effective tool for identifying high-consumption areas and providing managerial and technological solutions to improve energy efficiency in agricultural production.
Materials and Methods
This research was conducted with the aim of examining the personal characteristics of farmers, analyzing energy consumption, and assessing energy indicators in the cultivation of three major crops: rice, forage corn, and potatoes, in the districts of Dorud, Kuhdasht, and Azna, respectively, in Lorestan Province. Data were collected through questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with farmers and analyzed using statistical methods. The input energy indicators included chemical fertilizers, fuel, irrigation water, seeds, and human labor. The main sections of the questionnaires included: (I) general information about the farmer and the farm, such as age, education, work experience, and land area; (II) information regarding the amount of input consumption, including human labor, machinery, chemical inputs, fuel, irrigation water, and seeds; and (III) information regarding crop yield. The statistical population consisted of one thousand active farmers involved in rice production (in Dorud), forage corn (in Kuhdasht), and potatoes (in Azna). To determine the sample size, the Cochran formula was used with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 7%. To calculate the energy equivalent of inputs and outputs, all production inputs and outputs were converted to energy equivalents in terms of megajoules per hectare (MJ/ha). In this research, indicators such as Energy Ratio, Net Energy Yield, Energy Efficiency, and Water Use Efficiency were employed.
Results and Discussion
The findings indicated that the majority of farmers were in the age range of 40-50 years, with primary or high school education, and had a minimum of five years of farming experience. Their predominant crop was forage corn. The findings indicated that the highest input energy consumption was observed for potatoes, with 123048 MJ ha⁻¹, of which fuel energy accounted for 58.17%. It was followed by rice with 121117.09 MJ ha⁻¹ (fuel energy share: 50%), and forage maize with 98644 MJ ha⁻¹, where 60.85% of the total energy input was derived from fuel consumption. After fossil fuels, agricultural machinery, with an average share of 30%, and chemical fertilizers, with an average of 10%, ranked nex. The energy share of irrigation water in rice was 11236.39 MJ ha⁻¹ (9.28%), which was significantly higher compared to the other two crops.
Conclusion
Overall, the results revealed that potato had the highest total input energy (123048 MJ ha⁻¹) and output energy (151200 MJ ha⁻¹), while forage maize had the lowest input energy (98644 MJ ha⁻¹).
کلیدواژهها English
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