Life cycle environmental impacts of rice production systems in Sindh province of Pakistan

Journal article

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Author list: Zohaib Nizamani;Imran Khan;Shabbir H. Gheewala;Shabbir H. Gheewala;Asmat Ullah;Asmat Ullah;Asmat Ullah

Publication year: 2019

Journal: Journal of Sustainable Energy and Environment (1906-4918)

Volume number: 10

Issue number: 2

Start page: 51

End page: 55

ISSN: 1906-4918

URL: http://www.jseejournal.com/journal.php?id=42

Abstract

Rice is an important cereal and staple crop in Pakistan after wheat crop and it is also a source of foreign exchange earnings. It is mainly cultivated in Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan under irrigated conditions. It is responsible for the environmental degradation due to inefficient use of factors of production, low yield as well as being grown under ponded conditions. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the environmental impacts of rice production in the Sindh province of Pakistan using the life cycle methodological approach. Data was collected from two rice production regions of the province. The environmental impacts of each production region were assessed and compared. It was observed that different production practices and different levels of input consumption contributed to the different environmental impacts. Variations in the application of a different mix of chemical fertilizers, farmyard manure as well as tillage operations resulted in different levels of environmental impacts. Soil physical properties, availability of water, seed type, sowing methods as well as the socio-economic conditions were mainly responsible for these variations in the inputs consumption and associated environmental impacts.

Keywords

Rice Production System, Sindh Pakistan.