Eco-environmental and sustainability evaluation of cucumber and sunflower productions in Iran

Abstract

The main objective of this study is eco-environmental evaluation of cucumber and sunflower productions in Holeylan, Ilam province of Iran. The data was collected from cucumber and sunflower farms using face to face interview and questionnaire method. The results showed that the potential of global warming for cucumber and sunflower productions was 8554.97 and 2417.42 kgCO₂eqha⁻¹, respectively. Total CO₂ emission of cucumber and sunflower productions were calculated 4997.75 and 1129.34 kgha⁻¹, respectively. Electricity, diesel fuel and nitrogen fertilizer were the main source of emission in cucumber and sunflower productions. The results revealed that the CO₂ emission from electricity was higher than other inputs because of using some old electric pumps in the irrigation system. The carbon efficiency factor for cucumber and sunflower cultivation were calculated 10.71 and 2.06, respectively. The results of economic analysis indicated that the total production cost were 7615.83 and 5050.44 $ha⁻¹, the gross domestic product were 11,550 and 7830 $ha⁻¹, the fixed cost were 1224.35 and 1846.26 $ha⁻¹, the variable cost were 6769.57 and 3826.09 $ha⁻¹ and also the benefit to cost ratio were 1.51 and 1.55 for cucumber and sunflower productions, respectively. Finally, the sustainability index was calculated 9.71 and 1.06 for cucumber and sunflower productions, respectively. Decreasing the electricity consumption by using appropriate water pump and applying proper management methods can decrease the electricity consumption in cucumber and sunflower productions.