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Reducing the impact of irrigated crops on freshwater availability: the case of Brazilian yellow melons

  • WATER USE IN LCA
  • Published:
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This study quantifies freshwater consumption throughout the life cycle of Brazilian exported yellow melons and assesses the resulting impact on freshwater availability. Results are used to identify improvement options. Moreover, the study explores the further impact of variations in irrigation volume, yield, and production location.

Methods

The product system boundary encompasses production of seeds, seedlings, and melon plants; melon packing; disposal of solid farm waste; and farm input and melon transportation to European ports. The primary data in the study were collected from farmers in order to quantify freshwater consumption related to packing and to production of seeds, seedlings, and melons. Open-field melon irrigation was also estimated, considering the region's climate and soil characteristics. Estimated and current water consumptions were compared in order to identify impact reduction opportunities. Sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate variations in the impact because of changes in melon field irrigation, yield, and farm location.

Results and discussion

This study shows that the average impact on freshwater availability of 1 kg of exported Brazilian yellow melons is 135 l H2O-e, with a range from 17 to 224 l H2O-e depending on the growing season's production period. Irrigation during plant production accounts for 98 % of this impact. Current melon field water consumption in the Low Jaguaribe and Açu region is at least 39 % higher than necessary, which affects the quality of fruits and yield. The impact of melon production in other world regions on freshwater availability may range from 0.3 l H2O-e/kg in Costa Rica to 466 l H2O-e/kg in the USA.

Conclusions

The impact of temporary crops, such as melons, on water availability should be presented in ranges, instead of as an average, since regional consumptive water and water stress variations occur in different growing season periods. Current and estimated water consumption for irrigation may also be compared in order to identify opportunities to achieve optimization and reduce water availability impact.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the managers of melon farms in the LJA region for their continuous support on data gathering and the National Council of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq) for financially supporting this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agroindustry Center, Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation (Embrapa), Rua Dra Sara Mesquita 2270, Planalto do Pici, CEP 60511-110, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

    Maria Cléa Brito de Figueirêdo, Viviane da Silva Barros, João Alencar de Sousa, Fernando Antônio Souza de Aragão & Rubens Sonsol Gondim

  2. Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700, AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Imke J. M. de Boer

  3. Environmental Systems Analysis Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700, AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Carolien Kroeze & José Potting

  4. School of Science, Open University of The Netherlands, Open Universiteit, Valkenburgerweg 177, 6419 AT, Heerlen, The Netherlands

    Carolien Kroeze

  5. Environmental Strategies Research (fms), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Drottning Kristinas väg 30, 3rd floor, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden

    José Potting

Authors
  1. Maria Cléa Brito de Figueirêdo
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  2. Imke J. M. de Boer
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  6. Fernando Antônio Souza de Aragão
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  8. José Potting
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Cléa Brito de Figueirêdo.

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de Figueirêdo, M.C.B., de Boer, I.J.M., Kroeze, C. et al. Reducing the impact of irrigated crops on freshwater availability: the case of Brazilian yellow melons. Int J Life Cycle Assess 19, 437–448 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-013-0630-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-013-0630-0

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