Evaluation of Carbon Footprint Effect in Land Consolidation for Sustainable Agricultural Planning: A Research on Transportation and Intra-Parcel Tractor Maneuvers

Abstract

Carbon emission is a major driver to climate change, posing significant challenges to global sustainability efforts. Agriculture, as a key sector, plays a substantial role in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with land fragmentation further exacerbating this issue by increasing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions during farming activities. Land consolidation (LC) has emerged as an effective strategy to mitigate these impacts by reducing the spatial dispersion of parcels and improving mechanization efficiency. This study focuses on a consolidation area in Konya, a vital agricultural region in T & uuml;rkiye. It examines the effects of changes in routes and tractor maneuvers before and after LC on the fuel consumption of tractors and, accordingly, the carbon footprint (CF). Using network analysis and the Tier-1 method for CF calculations, the study found a 40% reduction in total CO2 emissions due to decreased transportation distances. The average CF per enterprise decreased by 38.26%, demonstrating the potential of LC to make a substantial contribution to GHG reduction. These findings highlight LC's role in fostering sustainable agricultural planning and environmental conservation, providing a pathway for long-term carbon reduction and climate resilience. Further research is recommended to develop region-specific LC models integrating socio-economic and climatic variables for enhanced sustainability outcomes.