Environmental Impact of Production Horticulture

Abstract

Horticultural production is primarily involved in the intensive use of resources, such as land, water, labour and inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides. The use of such resources in a concentrated space and time has the potential to negatively impact on the local environment and worker welfare. In addition the transport of horticultural produce over long distances, particularly by air transport is known to have an impact on the global environment. The first part of the chapter outlines these threats to the environment that intensive horticulture presents and how the understanding of wider issues relating to the environment has developed over recent years. Then the methods of analysing the impact of horticulture on the environment are considered including environmental impact assessments and Life Cycle Assessment. In the second part of the chapter, the methods and strategies that are being used to minimise the effect of production on environmental degradation are considered. This includes legislation and Private Voluntary Standards such as GLOBALGAP that have incorporated environmental standards into their remit. The use of technologies that have been used to mitigate the impact of horticultural production on the environment are highlighted including greenhouse technologies, soil protection and conservation, optimal fertiliser use and Integrated Pest Management. The chapter concludes with a case study that examines the production of cut flowers in Kenya and the associated costs of air freight around the globe.

Impact of Climate Change on Agricultural Activities: An Empirical Approach on Horticultural Sector

“…Fakat bu çalışmaların birçoğu tarla bitkileri tarımına yoğunlaşırken bahçe bitkileri tarımının çevresel etkileri araştırmalarda geri planda kalmıştır. Her ne kadar bahçecilik için kullanılan tarım alanları tarla bitkilerine ayrılan toplam arazi alanlarından küçük olsa da bahçecilikte alanın yoğun kullanılmasıyla birlikte, birim alandan elde edilen mahsulün korunması için yoğun gübre ve böcek ilacı kullanımı ve su ve enerji girdileri nedeniyle önemli çevresel etki potansiyeli vardır (Lewis et al, 2006;Wainwright et al, 2014). Yapılan çalışmaların bulgularına göre, bahçe bitkileri üretiminin çevre ve iklim üzerindeki etkileri, çevresel değişimlerin bahçecilik üzerindeki etkisiyle döngüsel bir etkileşim içindedir (Wainwright et al, 2014).…”

“…Bahçeciliğin bir diğer etkisi ise bölgenin görsel ve kültürel altyapısında meydana getireceği değişimdir (Adeyela et al, 2016). Bunlara ek olarak, üretilen mahsul için kullanılan enerji, nakliye ve depolama işlemleri ve inorganik girdiler ise bahçe bitkileri üretiminin çevresel etkilerine örnek olarak gösterilebilir (Wainwright et al, 2014 Bunlara ek olarak, bahsi geçen çalışmada sulamada ve ürün sürecinde kullanılan aşırı su tüketimine de değinilmiş ve 1 litre zeytinyağı üretimi için yaklaşık olarak 3900 litre su tüketildiği hesaplanmıştır. Son olarak, çalışma bahçe bitkileri ürünlerinin paketleme, nakliye, depolama ve üretim sonucu ortaya çıkan atık ürünler ve atık sular gibi birçok açıdan da çevreyle ilişkisini analiz etmiştir.…”

Measuring the impact of crises in the horticultural sector: the case of Spain

“…In particular, the Spanish horticultural sector has been affected by recurring crises arising from two main sources. First, the ineffective management of problems common to this sector, such as the excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides, resulting in low-quality production and consumption (Wainwright et al, 2014); the environmental degradation (Grindlay et al, 2011;Juntti and Downward, 2017); and the bad social conditions for immigrant workers (Medland, 2016;Pumares and Jolivet, 2014). Second, erroneous accusations spread through the mass media blaming food safety practises for environmental and social risks, originated both in Spain and in other countries.…”

Micronutrient-controlled-release protein-based systems for horticulture: Micro vs. nanoparticles

“…According to the latest studies carried out by Faostat (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2022), total horticulture production in 2020 was 329.86 million tons, which is an increase of about 2.93% with respect to 2019. This high demand has led to the need to create a massive plantation system, which is associated with the disadvantage of excessive soil depletion (Wainwright et al, 2014). This degradation makes the soil incapable of effective recycling of nutrients and energy, thus both have to be supplied by humans (Hazell and Wood, 2008).…”