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Energy, Nitrogen, and Farm Surplus Transitions in Agriculture from Historical Data Modeling. France, 1882–2013

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  • Souhil Harchaoui
  • Petros Chatzimpiros

Abstract

This article addresses agricultural metabolism and transitions for energy, nitrogen, farm production, self‐sufficiency, and surplus from historical data since the nineteenth century. It builds on an empirical data set on agricultural production and production means in France covering 130 consecutive years (1882–2013). Agricultural transitions have increased the net production and surplus of farms by a factor of 4 and have zeroed self‐sufficiency. The energy consumption remained quasi‐stable since 1882, but the energy and nitrogen structure of agriculture fully changed. With an EROI (energy return to energy invested) of 2 until 1950, preindustrial agriculture consumed as much energy to function as it provided in exportable surplus to sustain the nonagricultural population. The EROI doubled to 4 over the last 60 years, driven, on the one hand, by efficiency improvements in traction through the replacement of draft animals by motors and, on the other hand, by the joint increase in crop yields and efficiency in nitrogen use. Agricultural energy and nitrogen transitions shifted France from a self‐sufficiency agri‐food‐energy regime to a fossil‐dependent food export regime. Knowledge of resource conversion mechanisms over the long duration highlights the effects of changing agricultural metabolism on the system's feeding capacity. Farm self‐sufficiency is an asset against fossil fuel constraints, price volatility, and greenhouse gas emissions, but it equates to lower farm surplus in support of urbanization.

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  • Souhil Harchaoui & Petros Chatzimpiros, 2019. "Energy, Nitrogen, and Farm Surplus Transitions in Agriculture from Historical Data Modeling. France, 1882–2013," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 23(2), pages 412-425, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:23:y:2019:i:2:p:412-425
    DOI: 10.1111/jiec.12760
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    Cited by:

    1. Pinsard, Corentin & Martin, Sophie & Léger, François & Accatino, Francesco, 2021. "Robustness to import declines of three types of European farming systems assessed with a dynamic nitrogen flow model," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    2. Herve Bercegol & Henri Benisty, 2020. "An energy-based macroeconomic model validated by global historical series since 1820," Papers 2008.10967, arXiv.org, revised Sep 2020.
    3. Christopher Kennedy & Reid Lifset, 2020. "Winners of the 2018 Graedel Prizes: The Journal of Industrial Ecology best paper prizes," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(2), pages 268-270, April.
    4. Bartłomiej Bajan & Joanna Łukasiewicz & Agnieszka Poczta-Wajda & Walenty Poczta, 2021. "Edible Energy Production and Energy Return on Investment—Long-Term Analysis of Global Changes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-16, February.
    5. Bercegol, Hervé & Benisty, Henri, 2022. "An energy-based macroeconomic model validated by global historical series since 1820," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    6. Danilo Arcentales-Bastidas & Carla Silva & Angel D. Ramirez, 2022. "The Environmental Profile of Ethanol Derived from Sugarcane in Ecuador: A Life Cycle Assessment Including the Effect of Cogeneration of Electricity in a Sugar Industrial Complex," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-24, July.
    7. LaRota-Aguilera, María José & Delgadillo-Vargas, Olga Lucía & Tello, Enric, 2022. "Sociometabolic research in Latin America: A review on advances and knowledge gaps in agroecological trends and rural perspectives," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    8. Martinho, V.J.P.D., 2020. "Relationships between agricultural energy and farming indicators," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).

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