Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions of an Indian village.

This episode reviews the research paper, "Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions of an Indian village - Who's to blame: crops or livestock?", & examines the environmental impact of the Green and White revolutions on a village in Gujarat, India.

Using a novel methodology that combines Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and agrarian diagnosis, the study analyzes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from both crops and livestock, considering the diversity of farms in the village.

The authors identify the main sources of emissions, comparing them to national and international averages, and ultimately determine that livestock contributes significantly to GHG emissions due to a combination of low milk yields and high-emission feed sources.

The paper concludes by discussing the potential implications of livestock intensification for GHG emissions, environmental sustainability, and social equity in the context of the Indian agricultural sector.

Listen to the episode here