System Dynamics Application as a Tool to Estimate Environmental Effects of Irrigation, Pest and Weed Control Considering a Traditional Sugarcane Crop and an Organic Sugarcane Crop

Abstract

The cultivation of sugar cane generates impacts on ecosystems, two of the four most relevant impacts are environmental, on the one hand, the generation of greater water stress due to irrigation needs, in addition to the impact on biodiversity and endemic species due to land use, highlighting the need for the development of policies for sugarcane production trying to mitigate these impacts [1]. This is how a dynamic simulation is proposed that addresses elements of sugarcane cultivation considering a case of traditional plantation and another organic one to estimate the environmental effects produced by irrigation, which generates depletion of the water resource, and the control of pests and weeds that cause contamination in the soil through the application of chemicals. The proposed model was applied using the Vensim PLE software considering interrelationships between these elements. In this way, it was possible to conclude that the depletion of the water resource and the contamination of the soil is lower in organic cultivation, consuming 10.5% less water, in addition they are not considered pollutants in the soil, but in the traditional cultivation reaches 1674 l/ha. It is important to note that for the model to be able to correctly support decision-making, additional aspects that affect the yield of each type of crop, as well as its profit margin and volatility, must be considered.