(Agricultural Information Research, Japan, 14(1), 25-38, 2005)

Development of Decision Support Systems for Environmental Conservation Farming

-- Evaluation of the Amount of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Cropping Planning --

Sadafumi SAITOU, Kazuhiro NAKANO and Takayuki YOKOYAMA

Summary

　Based on the Linear Programming method, we have developed a programming system that designs an optimal planting area to gain the largest agricultural gross income. The data from farms with multiple types of management, such as a combination of paddy farming and fruit farming, were input into this programming system and FAPS (the Farming-systems Analysis and Planning Support System). The results of these analyses were compared and the outcome of the programming system proved to be the same as that of the FAPS. In Niigata Prefecture, we set up experimental farms with multiple types of management concerning rice paddy farming and upland field farming. Subsequently, the amount of carbon dioxide emissions was calculated and examined in regard to environmental conservation farming. Two types of planting programs, conventional cropping and organic cropping, were designed for the paddy farming. The relations between agricultural gross income, working hours, and carbon dioxide emissions were carefully examined. As a result, organic cropping applied to paddy farming proved to require more continuous working hours on a long-term basis than conventional cropping since organic cropping does not employ any herbicides. The agricultural gross income for organic paddy cropping increased even though the planted area was smaller than that of the conventionally cropped farms. However, the gross income from multiple types of management practiced with organic paddy cropping and upland field cultivation decreased by 446,000 yen in comparison with the multiple types of management concerning conventional paddy cropping. Organic cropping rice paddies proved to have similar total carbon dioxide emissions from the unit to the conventionally cropped paddies. The system researched in the course of this study evaluated the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the field and proved to work as a decision support system for environmental conservation farming. This decision support system could be used to decide on the optimal cropping system and areas so as to sustain a high level of agricultural gross income.



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