Search

The agricultural sector is facing a huge increase in consumption patterns and food needs. This growth is likely to worsen the pressures on the local and global environments. The CIRAD, within the frame of the ADEME project called Agri-BALYSE, is in charge of assessing the environmental impacts of palm oil. The chosen methodology is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Today, Indonesia is the first world producer of palm oil. The Riau Province in Sumatra is one of the most dynamic regions in terms of palm oil production, and has therefore been chosen for our case study. The data inventory was carried out with the assistance of SMARTRI, the research center of PT-SMART. In the study area, diverse types of palm oil producers were identified and characterised in order to produce the relevant LCA for the diverse cropping systems. Data were collected in the field for the company and diverse types of smallholders, i.e. plasma, and independent smallholders with or without advices from the company on the agricultural management. We used SIMAPRO® to build up the LCAs and compare the environmental impacts of the different types of palm oil producers in Sumatra. We present here the preliminary results of the study. The functional unit was one metric ton of crude palm oil (CPO). The hierarchy of impacting cropping systems varied with the type of producers. Globally the Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) yields were lower per hectare for the independent smallholders and impacts per metric ton of CPO were larger. Despite the management advices that some independent smallholders received, their yields were still lower than those of the company probably due to non-selected plant materials. Further field data collection is still needed however, i) to survey more smallholders and insure the representativeness of modelled cropping systems, and ii) to gather more data on differential agricultural managements, notably on very diverse organic fertilizers used by smallholders.

The agricultural sector is facing a huge increase in consumption patterns and food needs. This growth is likely to worsen the pressures on the local and global environments. The CIRAD, within the frame of the ADEME project called Agri-BALYSE, is in charge of assessing the environmental impacts of palm oil. The chosen methodology is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Today, Indonesia is the first world producer of palm oil. The Riau Province in Sumatra is one of the most dynamic regions in terms of palm oil production, and has therefore been chosen for our case study. The data inventory was carried out with the assistance of SMARTRI, the research center of PT-SMART. In the study area, diverse types of palm oil producers were identified and characterised in order to produce the relevant LCA for the diverse cropping systems. Data were collected in the field for the company and diverse types of smallholders, i.e. plasma, and independent smallholders with or without advices from the company on the agricultural management. We used SIMAPRO® to build up the LCAs and compare the environmental impacts of the different types of palm oil producers in Sumatra. We present here the preliminary results of the study. The functional unit was one metric ton of crude palm oil (CPO). The hierarchy of impacting cropping systems varied with the type of producers. Globally the Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) yields were lower per hectare for the independent smallholders and impacts per metric ton of CPO were larger. Despite the management advices that some independent smallholders received, their yields were still lower than those of the company probably due to non-selected plant materials. Further field data collection is still needed however, i) to survey more smallholders and insure the representativeness of modelled cropping systems, and ii) to gather more data on differential agricultural managements, notably on very diverse organic fertilizers used by smallholders.

Un groupe de travail réunissant des experts du Cirad, de l'AFD, de l'INRA et de l'IRD a étudié les conditions d'application de l'évaluation de l'impact de la recherche au Cirad. A partir d'exemples pris essentiellement dans le domaine de la recherche agricole internationale, le groupe définit la sémantique de l'évaluation de l'impact et décrit la démarche à entreprendre pour comprendre le " chemin de l'impact ". Il met en évidence la difficulté d'attribuer un changement à une action précise, l'importance des délais entre action et changement, les contraintes liées à la prise en compte d'un référentiel témoin (le " contrefactuel "), les controverses qu'accompagne la mesure économique des impacts, notamment lorsqu'il s'agit de biens non marchands, la sous-estimation fréquente des effets négatifs. Il prend connaissance d'approches alternatives basées davantage sur l'analyse des liens entre action et changement que sur la mesure de l'efficacité. Il met en avant la nécessité de définir les attendus des études d'évaluation de l'impact avant de s'engager dans la démarche. Les évaluations d'impact sont devenues une norme dans la gouvernance de la recherche internationale. Des compétences individuelles existent parmi les chercheurs du Cirad et l'expérience d'une première initiative interne au début des années 2000 est riche d'enseignements. Il est prévisible que les politiques de recherche et développement technologique françaises et européennes vont évoluer vers une plus grande prise en compte des relations entre la science et la société. Le comité d'éthique recommande au Cirad de s'engager dans l'évaluation d'impact. Le groupe de travail recommande donc que le Cirad, acteur des processus d'innovation au Sud, s'engage dans l'aventure de l'évaluation de l'impact pour mieux savoir quels changements son action induit en prenant en considération les écueils possibles de la démarche. Le groupe de travail propose 3 objectifs à la démarche du Cirad : i) Caractériser et repérer les

Novelty: A multi-scale approach using agro-ecosystem and landscape models is developed to calculate the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), especially N2O, related to crop and landscape management. This approach is used to improve the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of second generation biofuels. Context: 20% of fuel have to be produced from renewable origin in 2020, and meet a 50% decrease of GHG emission compared to fossil fuel (RED Directive, 2009/28/CE). Besides, agriculture represents 10 to 15% of GHG emissions in France and especially 65% of N2O emissions which have a huge global warming potential (310 times higher than CO2, according to IPCC 2007). Therefore, it is essential to carefully develop, evaluate and use relevant methods to assess the environmental balance of lignocellulosic crops (2nd generation biofuels). Even if they all demonstrate a net reduction in GHG emissions, LCA of 2nd generation biofuels do not present any common methodology (Cherubini and Stromman, 2011). Main differences during the crop cycle are due to the generic factors used to calculate GHG emissions and the lack of consideration for land use change. A multi-scale approach is required to fulfill a complete LCA. Indeed, GHG emissions are strongly bound with local pedo-climatic conditions and technological options (especially N application rates). This approach is used to estimate direct GHG emissions, downstream indirect GHG emissions and emissions due to land use change. Scope: The LCA is carried out for a lignocellulosic bio-ethanol industrial unit, located in France, supplied by a mixture of feedstocks: annual and dedicated crops (triticale and fiber sorghum), perennial crops (miscanthus and switchgrass), forest and crop residues (straw) and possibly short rotation coppice (SRC). The study focuses mainly on a supply area around the industrial unit located in the Champagne-Ardenne region. However, we aim at developing generic methods. Material and methods: The agro-ecosystem model CER

Un groupe de travail réunissant des experts du Cirad, de l'AFD, de l'INRA et de l'IRD a étudié les conditions d'application de l'évaluation de l'impact de la recherche au Cirad. A partir d'exemples pris essentiellement dans le domaine de la recherche agricole internationale, le groupe définit la sémantique de l'évaluation de l'impact et décrit la démarche à entreprendre pour comprendre le " chemin de l'impact ". Il met en évidence la difficulté d'attribuer un changement à une action précise, l'importance des délais entre action et changement, les contraintes liées à la prise en compte d'un référentiel témoin (le " contrefactuel "), les controverses qu'accompagne la mesure économique des impacts, notamment lorsqu'il s'agit de biens non marchands, la sous-estimation fréquente des effets négatifs. Il prend connaissance d'approches alternatives basées davantage sur l'analyse des liens entre action et changement que sur la mesure de l'efficacité. Il met en avant la nécessité de définir les attendus des études d'évaluation de l'impact avant de s'engager dans la démarche. Les évaluations d'impact sont devenues une norme dans la gouvernance de la recherche internationale. Des compétences individuelles existent parmi les chercheurs du Cirad et l'expérience d'une première initiative interne au début des années 2000 est riche d'enseignements. Il est prévisible que les politiques de recherche et développement technologique françaises et européennes vont évoluer vers une plus grande prise en compte des relations entre la science et la société. Le comité d'éthique recommande au Cirad de s'engager dans l'évaluation d'impact. Le groupe de travail recommande donc que le Cirad, acteur des processus d'innovation au Sud, s'engage dans l'aventure de l'évaluation de l'impact pour mieux savoir quels changements son action induit en prenant en considération les écueils possibles de la démarche. Le groupe de travail propose 3 objectifs à la démarche du Cirad : i) Caractériser et repérer les

Novelty: A multi-scale approach using agro-ecosystem and landscape models is developed to calculate the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), especially N2O, related to crop and landscape management. This approach is used to improve the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of second generation biofuels. Context: 20% of fuel have to be produced from renewable origin in 2020, and meet a 50% decrease of GHG emission compared to fossil fuel (RED Directive, 2009/28/CE). Besides, agriculture represents 10 to 15% of GHG emissions in France and especially 65% of N2O emissions which have a huge global warming potential (310 times higher than CO2, according to IPCC 2007). Therefore, it is essential to carefully develop, evaluate and use relevant methods to assess the environmental balance of lignocellulosic crops (2nd generation biofuels). Even if they all demonstrate a net reduction in GHG emissions, LCA of 2nd generation biofuels do not present any common methodology (Cherubini and Stromman, 2011). Main differences during the crop cycle are due to the generic factors used to calculate GHG emissions and the lack of consideration for land use change. A multi-scale approach is required to fulfill a complete LCA. Indeed, GHG emissions are strongly bound with local pedo-climatic conditions and technological options (especially N application rates). This approach is used to estimate direct GHG emissions, downstream indirect GHG emissions and emissions due to land use change. Scope: The LCA is carried out for a lignocellulosic bio-ethanol industrial unit, located in France, supplied by a mixture of feedstocks: annual and dedicated crops (triticale and fiber sorghum), perennial crops (miscanthus and switchgrass), forest and crop residues (straw) and possibly short rotation coppice (SRC). The study focuses mainly on a supply area around the industrial unit located in the Champagne-Ardenne region. However, we aim at developing generic methods. Material and methods: The agro-ecosystem model CER