Forages for the Red Soils Area of China - Proceedings of an International Workshop, Jianyang, Fujian Province, P. R. China, 6–9 October 1997

Crop Production/Industries,

Quantifying the land footprint of Germany and the EU using a hybrid accounting model

Footprint analysis reveals the appropriation of land resources from a consumer’s perspective. We here present a novel hybrid land-flow accounting method for the calculation of land footprints, employing a globally consistent top-down approach and combining physical with environmental economic accounting. Physical accounting tracks food products from ‘field to plate’ and non-food from ‘field to industrial use’ using the large harmonized FAO data to track biomass flows and related land use in physical volumes (tons of biomass). Environmental-economic accounting is used to further track non-food commodities in monetary values to final consumption. The hybrid methodology has been applied annually between 1995 and 2010 for 21 regional markets globally and including major economies separately (e.g. USA, China, India). Per capita extents and composition of cropland footprints vary widely across the world. Detailed results for Germany and the EU28 highlight the higher land demand of livestock-based diets compared to crop-based diets, the growing integration in international markets, and the growing importance of the non-food sector since 2000. Today the land footprint of each Germany citizen appropriates on average 2693 m2 cropland (about one half for livestock-based diets, one quarter for crop-based diets and one quarter for non-food products). Additional 1655 m2 of grassland per capita are used for the consumption of ruminant livestock products. Germany is a major and increasing trading partner with current net ‘cropland imports’ of 10.6 Mha. Overall, half of Germany’s 22 Mha cropland footprint relies on domestic cultivation and half on land resources abroad. Albeit large uncertainties in the calculation of grassland footprints, results point towards Germany being a significant net importer of grassland embedded in ruminant livestock products

Grown organic matter as a fuel raw material resource

An extensive search was made on biomass production from the standpoint of climatic zones, water, nutrients, costs and energy requirements for many species. No exotic species were uncovered that gave hope for a bonanza of biomass production under culture, location, and management markedly different from those of existing agricultural concepts. A simulation analysis of biomass production was carried out for six species using conventional production methods, including their production costs and energy requirements. These estimates were compared with data on food, fiber, and feed production. The alternative possibility of using residues from food, feed, or lumber was evaluated. It was concluded that great doubt must be cast on the feasibility of producing grown organic matter for fuel, in competition with food, feed, or fiber. The feasibility of collecting residues may be nearer, but the competition for the residues for return to the soil or cellulosic production is formidable

New Technologies for the Utilization of Biologically Based Raw Materials for Feed and Food Production

Within the activities undertaken by IIASA's Food and Agriculture Program one part has been directed to assessing the role which new technologies for protein production could play in the future in covering the global demand. This report contains the main papers submitted to the Task Force Meeting on "New Technologies for the Utilization of Biologically Based Raw Materials for Feed and Food Production" held at Tbilisi, Georgia, USSR in August 1981. The meeting was the second in a series of meetings dealing with the problems of new technologies for the utilization of agricultural wastes. The main topics for discussion at the Tbilisi meeting were defined during the first meeting held at IIASA in September 1980. Furthermore the network of collaborating institutions and teams, established after this first meeting, produced interesting background material in the form of answers to the questionnaires distributed by IIASA. (See Table 6 of this report) . The meeting was seen as a further step towards the assessment of the new technologies on protein production and the basis for future collaboration was outlined and the proposal for holding the next meeting was submitted

El Salvador agricultural sector

IDRC document. Report on agriculture in El Salvador - discusses agricultural production, agricultural policy and agricultural research centres; includes agricultural statistics and bibliography