Energy use pattern and greenhouse gas emission of winter vegetables: insights from Chotanagpur Plateau region, India

Abstract

The study investigated energy use efficiency (EUE) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for winter vegetable production in India’s Chotanagpur Plateau region, focusing on garden peas and potatoes. Data from vegetable growers revealed garden peas required 6564.29 MJ/ha, primarily from human energy (25.56%), farmyard manure (21.33%), seed (20.15%) and diesel (12.22%). For potatoes, the energy requirement was 40, 282.29 MJ/ha, with fertilizer (42.30%), chemicals (24.43%), and seed (16.98%) major contributors. EUE was 9.80 for garden peas and 1.11 for potatoes. GHG emissions were 718.32 and 369.69 kg CO2 eq./ha for garden peas and potatoes respectively. Promoting small farm machinery and optimizing resource management could enhance energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions. Sustainable farming practices are crucial for mitigating energy use and GHG emissions in the region’s vegetable production, urging further research for effective strategies.