Increasing the sustainability of pasta production through a life cycle assessment approach

Abstract

Barilla put forth a project to increase the use of cereal sustainable cropping systems. The first part of the project was focused on identifying potential improvements in the most diffused cropping systems for the cultivation of Durum wheat in Italy, while maintaining high levels of quality and food safety standards. Results show that the well-known low input agronomic practices are environmentally friendly and also often economically advantageous. Implementation of dicotyledons into a cereal-only rotation allows a reduction of environmental impacts (- 36% GHG), a reduction of DON risk and an increase in net income for farmers (up to 31%). In the second part Barilla gave to 13 farmers a decision support system (DSS) to help them in reducing production costs and environmental impacts. Results show that the only adoption of DSS contributes in reducing carbon footprint (-10%), and costs for pesticides and fertilizers (- 10%).