CE: 5816 CF: cag101172114
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Quantitative estimation of the carbon footprint in the sugar cane culture in Villa Clara
Estimación cuantitativa de la huella del carbono en el cultivo de la caña de azúcar en Villa Clara
Elier Gavilán Martínez y Mario Reinoso Pérez
Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Cuba. Carretera a Camajuaní, Km 5½, CP 54830, Santa Clara, Villa Clara, Cuba.
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ABSTRACT
The carbon footprint in the sugar cane sector in Villa Clara province was determined by using as cases study two Agricultural Production Cooperatives (CPA) dedicated to sugar cane cropping. For this purpose, the environmental aspects associated with the sugar cane cultivation, from the land preparation for the industry delivery, were quantified. Data matching to each environmental aspect were collected and subjected to triangulation using Participatory-Action Research techniques and tools. CO2 -eq emissions per hectare show significant differences between the study cases, matching the higher value to the “Jesús Menéndez” CPA. The consumption of energy sources, non-organic materials and the industrial gasses, as well as the use of soil, are the environmental aspects with the higher burden on the carbon footprint in both study cases, with percentage values upper than 11 % out of total CO2 -eq emissions. The CO2 -eq average annual emissions in relation to the physical production are significantly higher at the “Jesús Menéndez” CPA, that’s why the crop of one tonne of sugar cane in the CPA implies a higher economic cost compared with the “4 de abril” CPA. It is concluded that the productive systems of both cases studies have a similar performance regarding their contribution to the global warming.
