Water footprint analysis of temporary crops produced in São Carlos (SP), Brazil

Abstract

This paper aims to evaluate the water footprint (WF) of temporary crops produced in the municipality of São Carlos, Brazil, between 2004 and 2017. The WF calculation was developed following the Water Footprint Network approach (WFN) and using CROPWAT model. The results were compared with the world averages and other studies that analyzed the same crops. We applied statistical tests to verify data behavior over the years and calculated correlation coefficients between WF components and crop yields. The results indicated low values of total WF for sugarcane (total average of 166.2 m3 ton-1) and tomato (total average of 97.2 m3 ton-1), while rice (total average of 5212.4 m3 ton-1) and groundnut (total average of 3865.8 m3 ton-1) showed the opposite. In general, WF components do not follow a monotonic trend, a normal distribution can be assumed and there is a statistically significant difference when comparing our findings with global mean values. These results ratify the importance of local WF studies, especially in Brazil, considering its importance in global agricultural market and the respective use of water resources.