Carbon Footprint of Wheat and Maize: A Greek Case Study

Abstract

Wheat and maize are two of the most dominant crops of considerable importance in human nutrition. At the same time, agriculture is responsible for about 1/3 of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of this study is to estimate the carbon footprint of the two aforementioned important crops in the region of Larissa, Greece. Under this context, the emitted CO2eq- per kg of product, the corresponding emissions per hectare and per g of harvested plant protein were estimated. The carbon footprint was measured using the CoolFarm Tool (Cool Farm Alliance). Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews with local farmers. According to the results, the carbon footprint per hectare in maize (2,979 kg CO2eq- ha-1) is significantly higher compared to wheat (1,090 kg CO2eq- ha-1). In contrast, the differences in the footprints per kilogram of product and per g of harvested protein were insignificant. Tillage was found to be the main factor increasing CO2eq- emissions in both crops. In this research work we demonstrated that tillage regimes are crucial for mitigating agricultural related GHG emissions.

Keywords

• carbon footprint
• maize
• wheat