Search

The Latvian agriculture has achieved remarkable progress with regard to crop production over the past decade, which has resulted in constantly growing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture. Currently, the agricultural sector is the second largest source of GHG emissions, accounting for 21.5% of the total GHG emissions in the country, and the key source of GHG emissions is direct nitrous oxide emissions from soil, which are largely the result of nitrogen applied. Such trends indicate that without additional measures Latvia cannot reach its GHG emission targets set internationally. In this paper, authors aim to select measures that have potential to reduce the GHG emissions from the Latvia's crop production sector by using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. Within the hierarchical structure of decision-making process, four factor groups affecting implementation of measures were evaluated: economic, social, environmental and technological factors. The study results indicated that the potential to reduce emissions from crop production sector is limited by technology as technological factors play the most important role in the process of implementation of GHG emission-reducing measures. Study results showed that reduction of direct N2O emissions can be achieved through several alternatives from which, according to experts' rating, the most important is such GHG emission reducing measures that promote accurate management of nitrogen circulation and introduction of an organic management system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land resources are not fully exploited for agricultural production in Latvia. According to the Rural Support Service, in 2013 approximately 400 thousands ha of agricultural land were not declared for Single Area Payment Scheme. Increases in bioresources and food production in the world have become objective needs. Exploiting these land resources provides a possibility to increase agricultural output and economic efficiency in Latvia's rural areas. Yet, agricultural growth in Latvia's rural areas may not be in contradiction with sustainable development principles. It is necessary to intensify agricultural production by increasing agricultural output and contributing to comprehensively achieving sustainability indicators. To ensure sustainable intensification of Latvia's land resources, a theoretical model for calculating sustainable intensification indicators for agricultural holdings in Latvia, which involves social, economic, environmental and innovative sustainability, is being developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]