Life Cycle Assessment In The Agri Food Sector

The book presents an overview of the International practices and state-of-the-art of LCA studies in the agri-food sector, both in terms of adopted methodologies and application to particular products; the final purpose is to characterise and put order within the methodological issues connected to some important agri-food products (wine, olive oil, cereals and derived products, meat and fruit) and also defining practical guidelines for the implementation of LCAs in this particular sector. The first chapter entails an overview of the application of LCA to the food sector, the role of the different actors of the food supply chain and the methodological issues at a general level. The other chapters, each with a particular reference to the main foods of the five sectors under study, have a common structure which entails the review of LCA case studies of such agri-food products, the methodological issues, the ways with which they have been faced and the suggestion of practical guidelines.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the internationally recognized method to assess the environmental impacts of products and services. This operational guide provides best practice recommendations for LCA practitioners to carry out LCA studies on agri-food systems in developing and emerging contexts.

Sustainability Challenges in the Agrofood Sector covers a wide range of agrofood-related concerns, including urban and rural agriculture and livelihoods, water-energy management, food and environmental policies, diet and human health. Significant and relevant research topics highlighting the most recent updates will be covered, with contributions from leading experts currently based in academia, government bodies and NGOs (see list of contributors below). Chapters will address the realities of sustainable agrofood, the issues and challenges at stake, and will propose and discuss novel approaches to these issues. This book will be the most up-to-date and complete work yet published on the topic, with new and hot topics covered as well as the core aspects and challenges of agrofood sustainability.

This book highlights the Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) of the agri-sector for rice, sugarcane, and cassava in Thailand and the food sector. It also presents a range of models, indices, impact categories, etc. for SLCA that are currently being developed for industrial applications. Though SLCA was introduced in 2010, it is still relatively new compared to environmental life cycle assessment (ELCA).

Life cycle assessment (LCA) of production and processing in the food industry is an important tool for improving sustainability. Environmental assessment and management in the food industry reviews the advantages, challenges and different applications of LCA and related methods for environmental assessment, as well as key aspects of environmental management in this industry sector. Part one discusses the environmental impact of food production and processing, addressing issues such as nutrient management and water efficiency in agriculture. Chapters in Part two cover LCA methodology and challenges, with chapters focusing on different food industry sectors such as crop production, livestock and aquaculture. Part three addresses the applications of LCA and related approaches in the food industry, with chapters covering combining LCA with economic tools, ecodesign of food products and footprinting methods of assessment, among other topics. The final part of the book concentrates on environmental management in the food industry, including contributions on training, eco-labelling and establishing management systems. With its international team of editors and contributors, Environmental assessment and management in the food industry is an essential reference for anyone involved in environmental management in the food industry, and for those with an academic interest in sustainable food production. Reviews the advantages, challenges and different applications of LCA and related methods for environmental assessment Discusses the environmental impact of food production and processing, addressing issues such as nutrient management and water efficiency in agriculture Examines environmental management in the food industry, including contributions on training, eco-labelling and establishing management systems

Gerhard Brankatschk provides solutions for methodological limitations of agricultural Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs). The author solves challenges of attributing multifunctionality (co-products) and temporal system boundaries (crop rotations) of agricultural systems by establishing two new Life Cycle Inventory methodologies, which conform to ISO-standards on LCA. The new methods help to assess temporal, spatial, and multifunctional complexity of agricultural systems and to improve the reliability of life cycle based sustainability assessments of agriculture.

One of the major knowledge challenges in the domain of Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems refers to the integration of perspectives on consumption, patterns that support public health, inclusive value chains, and environmentally sustainable food production. While there is a long record of the analysis of separate interventions, this special issue generates integrated insights, provides cross-cutting perspectives, and outlines practical and policy solutions that address these global challenges.The collection of papers promotes the view that sustainable food systems require thorough insights into the structure and dynamics of agri-food production systems, the drivers for integrating food value chains and markets, and key incentives for supporting healthier consumer choices. On the production side, potential linkages between agricultural commercialization and intensification and their effects for food security and nutritional outcomes are analyzed. Value Chains are assessed for their contribution to improving exchange networks and markets for food products that simultaneously support efficiency, circularity, and responsiveness. Individual motives and market structures for food consumption need to be understood in order to be able to outline suitable incentives to enhance healthy dietary choice.The contributed papers focus on interfaces between food system activities and processes of adaptive change that are critical for overcoming key constraints and trade-offs between sustainable food and healthy diets.

This book provides insight into the Life Cycle Management (LCM) concept and the progress in its implementation. LCM is a management concept applied in industrial and service sectors to improve products and services, while enhancing the overall sustainability performance of business and its value chains. In this regard, LCM is an opportunity to differentiate through sustainability performance on the market place, working with all departments of a company such as research and development, procurement and marketing, and to enhance the collaboration with stakeholders along a company’s value chain. LCM is used beyond short-term business success and aims at long-term achievements by minimizing environmental and socio-economic burden, while maximizing economic and social value.