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26th September 2014 CIHEAM-IAMM Antalya

Sustainability of food chains in the Euro-Med area

Antalya, 26th of September 2014

Giulia Palma

CIHEAM-IAMM


Sustainability

• Sustainable is the “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

Brundtland Report (« Our common future », 1987)


Food chains’ Sustainability

• Food production and distribution =>

� 20-30% of all impacts

� 22-30 % of GHG emissions of the planet

� 20% to 30% of abiotic resource depletion, acidification, ecotoxicity and human toxicity

� more than 50% of eutrophication (EIPRO, 2006).

(Food, drinks, tobacco and narcotics / total consumption in EU25 )


Questions and challenges:

• Plant based (Vegetarian-vegan) or meat based diet?

• Organic or non-organic food?

• Local or imported food?

• In season or out of season food?

• Processed or fresh food?

• What kind of packaging?

• What kind of logistic organisation?

Other issues:

• water footprint

• biodiversity loss

• Food losses and waste


• “Animal products , both meat and dairy, in general require more resources and cause higher emissions than plant-based alternatives” (UNEP)

• “Livestock are an important contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions causing global warming; current estimates range from 8.5% to 18% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions […] livestock systems in general terms generate significantly mor e greenhouse gas emissions per kilocalorie than crops ” (ILRI)

Meat or plant-based diet?


Source: Freyer, 2008

Organic or non-organic products ?

GHG emissions by food group (for current levels of consumption and for recommended levels)


• F & V: energy requirements very variable (depending on growing methods and location)

• Carbohydrates : wheat lower and potatoes the same energy requirements

• Meat: organic production inputs lower for beef/pork/ sheep, but higher for poultry

• Not always true: it depends on the product and on t he type of environmental impact

Source (DEFRA, 2006)

Organic or non-organic products ?


Local Products or imported products ?

• A local product is not necessarily preferable (Schlich and Fleissner, 2005)

• Not only distance : it is rather the mean of transp ort and the production method that counts

• Different impacts for the same crop in different parts of the world (such as water consumption) (DEFRA, 2006)


In season products or products throughout the year?

Imported food

Imported food may have less environmental impact thatlocally produced off-season food (Milà i Canals et al.2008)

Local Products grown in greenhouse

In Germany, during winter, it is preferable to import saladsfrom Spain rather than produce them locally in greenhousesas energy consumption and carbon footprint for the latterare twice as high than the former (Müller-Lindenlauf etReinhardt, 2010).


• 7000 plant species in the world are edible

• World food availability depends on 150 vegetable varieties.

• Only 5 staples (rice, wheat, maize, millet and sorghum) account for 60% of energy intake

(FAO, 2013)

Biodiversity loss


Questions and challenges (contd):

Social aspects:

• Respect of workers’ rights • Child labour• Discrimination against women • Seasonal and Immigrant’s workers exploitation(e.g.: tomato picking in Apulia, Southern Italy)


FLONUDEPJanuary 2010 - December 2013

Objective:

Promote sustainable supply chains through the creat ion of a decision making tool combining three key elements o f the fruit

and vegetables markets: environmental sustainabilit y, nutritional quality and socio- economic aspects.

Methodological approach : LCA Fresh tomatoes: France, Morocco

Processed tomatoes: France, Turkey


The study concerned :

Fresh tomato:

Morocco: 3 farms

France: Boulard et al.,2011

+ logistics

Processed tomato:

France: 4 farms and 2 processing plants

Turkey: 4 farms and 4 processing plants

+ logistics

Measures of the impact at consumer level (FR)


Fresh tomato

Morocco France (heatedgreenhouse)

Yields Tons/ha 210 450

Fertilisation Kg N/ha 657 2561

Kg P2O5/ha

483 1401

Kg K2O/ha

1742 5378

Irrigation water M3/ha 5591 12’500

Energy (consumed)

kWh/ha 26’751 2’965’000

Source: Basset-Mens C. and Payen S.


Conclusions (fresh tomato):

Out of season, is it preferable to buy fresh tomato es made in France in heated greenhouses or import them from Morocco?

• Energy consumed, GHG , marine eutrophication are lower in Morocco

• BUT: water depletion is higher

Source: Basset-Mens C. and Payen S.


• France

• Turkey

2,6987 kg CO2 eq

2,3633 kg 1,4-DB eq

0,0037 kg P eq

GHG

Human Toxicity

Eutrophication

Tomato Sauce : France/TurkeyComparison according to the origin of paste

3,0635 kg CO2 eq

2,6488 kg 1,4-DB eq

0,0037 kg P eq

GHG

Human toxicity

Eutrophication


Transport before the processing plant : Tractor and truck

Transport after the processing plant : Lorry and sh ip to Fos sur mer (France)

Turkey: transport

Field

Tractor and truck

70-110 Km

(mean)

ShipLorry

Pre-factory transport has a much higher impact than post-factory transport (per kg)

Factory


Conclusions (processed tomato):

• In both supply chains , the critical stage is the processing plant ;

• Especially the 2 nd , for GHG and eutrophication : Packaging (steel can) and energy used to make steam;

• And the 1st plant for human toxicity (metal drums ) ;

• Just over 10% of eutrophication is generated at far m level ;

• Rather than distance, what counts is the mean of transport

Recent literature confirms trends, but each case is specific and further research is necessary


Identification of sustainability criteria for process ed foodsupply chains

Objectives:- Apply an environmental, social, economic and

territorial (new methodology) LCA and identify hot-spots in 3 French supply chains (wine, foie gras, cheese), while comparing industrial and traditional supply chains

- Suggest ways of displaying information on the sustainability of products

WP 3: measurement of the socio-economic performance and of the impact on the territory


Material richness

Work conditions, health

Benefits

Fairness towards consumersFairness towards partners

Promotion of the

territory/area

Worker’s dignity and wellbeing

Quality of relationships

Status , remuneration, fairness

Creation of wealth

Non-material richness (education, values)

Representation, governance

Identity, heritage, institutions

Integration in local activities


çok teşekkür ederim

Thank you

[email protected]


Impact categories

• Eutrophication: nitrates and phosphates

• Global warming :GHG emissions,Carbon dioxide (CO2)

• Human toxicity: potential harm of molecules and chemical substances on humans.

• Functional Unit: 1kg of tomato sauce as bought by the consumer


LCA: Life cycle assessment

• Assess environmental impacts associated with all th e stages of a product's life “from -cradle-to-grave”

• The goal is “to compare the full range of environme ntal effects assignable to products and services to impr ove processes, support policy and provide a sound basis for informed decisions”

• Internationally recognized and standardized method (ISO 14000)


France: system boundaries

Fertiliser and pesticides

Production

Machine production

Fuel

Production

Processing plant (1st

processing)

Tomato paste

Processing plant (2ndProcessing plant (2nd

processing)

Tomato sauce

Warehouse

Farm:

Tomatoes

Production

Supermarket Consumer

Electricity

Production

Water

Transport

Waste

Other

veg.

Packaging

Distribution platform

Other

prod.


Turkey: system boundaries

Plant (tomato

paste )

Port in France

(Fos sur Mer)

Farm (tomato

production)

Système d’arrière plan

Other

veg.

Fertiliser and pesticides

Production

Machine production

Fuel

Production

Electricity

Production

Water

Transport

Waste

Packaging

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