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Economic analysis software for evaluating best management practices to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from cropland
Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org
Citation: 2020 ASABE Annual International Virtual Meeting 2000281.(doi:10.13031/aim.202000281)
Authors: Ziwei Li, Zhiming Qi, Qianjing Jiang
Keywords: Benefit-cost analysis, Carbon credit, Canada, Economic modeling software development, GHG emissions.
Abstract. Many recently executed studies on soil and crop management practices have demonstrated promising findings in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from cropland. The response of GHG emissions to management practices can be quantitatively described and simulated using biophysics-based agricultural system models. Nevertheless, the economic feasibilities of such management plans are yet to be evaluated, considering their significance since the producers would only adopt one management plan when it is profitable. This article presents how we develop a field-scale economic analysis modeling software that is capable of delivering quantitative outputs of the net benefits under various greenhouse gas mitigating management practices. The estimation of the net benefits is based on the benefit-cost analysis (BCA), where GHG emissions are converted to CO2 equivalent and priced using the information retrieved from the carbon trade market. GHG emissions, as well as crop yield, are simulated using the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2), an agricultural system model coupled in the software. A case study for a cornfield at the Saint Emmanuel site near Montreal, Canada, is discussed in this paper. Drawing from the data from the site during 2012 and 2015 under two water table management practices, i.e., free-drainage (FD) and controlled drainage (CD), the economic modeling software determines that the FD is more profitable than the CD. Although the CD emits less greenhouse gas, compare to FD, the potential benefit from carbon credit by the GHG reduction in CD is far less than the additional cost from installing new instruments and excess maintenance fees. This study suggests the government initiates new subsidy policies to provide producers further incentive to adopt new greenhouse gas emission mitigating management plans.
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