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Rice Production Chain: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment—A Review

Author

Listed:
  • Giuliana Vinci

    (Department of Management, Sapienza University of Rome, Via del Castro Laurenziano 9, 00161 Rome, Italy)

  • Roberto Ruggieri

    (Department of Management, Sapienza University of Rome, Via del Castro Laurenziano 9, 00161 Rome, Italy)

  • Marco Ruggeri

    (Department of Management, Sapienza University of Rome, Via del Castro Laurenziano 9, 00161 Rome, Italy)

  • Sabrina Antonia Prencipe

    (Department of Management, Sapienza University of Rome, Via del Castro Laurenziano 9, 00161 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Rice is the most widely used cereal for human consumption, attributing its production as one of the most important activities for the global population. Therefore, given its economic and nutritional value, assessing the sustainability of this production process could be worth noting. In this regard, this research aims to investigate the most recent literature related to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of rice primary production, to clarify the extent to which Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) and thus the three pillars of sustainability have been applied in the rice sector, as well as to highlight possible research gaps. Thus, 40 articles (2012–2022) were analyzed. The main research gaps that were found were, firstly, that there was a lesser tendency to consider multiple functional units, highlighting how little multifunctionality is considered. As to be expected, there was also a great difference in methodological choices, which often leads to a great variability of results, making evaluations and comparisons of impacts uncertain. These were also highly dependent on soil and climate conditions in the various countries, which could in turn affect input utilization, and results. The study of the impacts of primary rice production was then addressed by a few countries, among which some of the largest producers were absent, while the least considered aspects were related to the depletion of abiotic resources and the promotion of organic farming. Finally, sustainability assessments in rice production had little focus on the socio-economic dimension, showing how little LCT is considered. Therefore, based on this consideration, a Social Life Cycle Assessment was integrated into the study, the results of which show that the countries with medium to high social impacts could be India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Bangladesh.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuliana Vinci & Roberto Ruggieri & Marco Ruggeri & Sabrina Antonia Prencipe, 2023. "Rice Production Chain: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment—A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-25, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:13:y:2023:i:2:p:340-:d:1051836
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kiyotaka Masuda, 2019. "Eco-Efficiency Assessment of Intensive Rice Production in Japan: Joint Application of Life Cycle Assessment and Data Envelopment Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-14, September.
    2. van Wesenbeeck, C.F.A. & Keyzer, M.A. & van Veen, W.C.M. & Qiu, H., 2021. "Can China's overuse of fertilizer be reduced without threatening food security and farm incomes?," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    3. Christophe Gouel & Houssein Guimbard, 2019. "Nutrition Transition and the Structure of Global Food Demand," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 101(2), pages 383-403.
    4. Xu, Qiang & Dai, Linxiu & Gao, Pinglei & Dou, Zhi, 2022. "The environmental, nutritional, and economic benefits of rice-aquaculture animal coculture in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
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    6. Amirmohamad Abolhasani & Bijan Samali & Fatemeh Aslani, 2022. "Rice Husk Ash Incorporation in Calcium Aluminate Cement Concrete: Life Cycle Assessment, Hydration and Strength Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-15, January.
    7. Jianing Wei & Jixiao Cui & Yinan Xu & Jinna Li & Xinyu Lei & Wangsheng Gao & Yuanquan Chen, 2022. "Social Life Cycle Assessment of Major Staple Grain Crops in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, April.
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