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Sustainability Assessment of Annual and Permanent Crops: The Inspia Model

Author

Listed:
  • Paula Trivino-Tarradas

    (ETSIAM, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Córdoba, Ctra, Nacional IV, km. 396, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
    European Conservation Agriculture Federation (ECAF). Rue de la Loi 6 Box 5, 1050 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Manuel R. Gomez-Ariza

    (Asociación Española de Agricultura de Conservación Suelos Vivos (AEAC.SV), Centro IFAPA Alameda del Obispo, Av. Menéndez Pidal s/n, 14004 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Gottlieb Basch

    (European Conservation Agriculture Federation (ECAF). Rue de la Loi 6 Box 5, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
    Institute of Mediterranean Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (ICAAM), Universidade de Évora, Polo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal)

  • Emilio J. Gonzalez-Sanchez

    (ETSIAM, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Córdoba, Ctra, Nacional IV, km. 396, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
    European Conservation Agriculture Federation (ECAF). Rue de la Loi 6 Box 5, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
    Asociación Española de Agricultura de Conservación Suelos Vivos (AEAC.SV), Centro IFAPA Alameda del Obispo, Av. Menéndez Pidal s/n, 14004 Córdoba, Spain)

Abstract

The Initiative for Sustainable Productive Agriculture (INSPIA) project promotes best management practices for agriculture, to enhance the provision of ecosystem services through better stewardship of soil and water resources while ensuring high levels of productivity. This paper presents the INSPIA methodology for the assessment of sustainability and for guiding farmers on strategic decision-making at farm level, applicable to any kind of cropland. The methodology is based on the application of 15 best management practices, which are assessed through a set of 31 basic sustainability indicators that cover the economic, social and environmental dimensions both agreed by a panel of experts. Basic indicators are then grouped into 12 aggregated indicators, to build the final INSPIA composite index. The INSPIA methodology provides farmers and advisers with a tool to understand sustainability and which, to a certain extent, serves to improve performance toward sustainability. Results are presented in three different ways: a bar diagram with the whole set of basic indicator-values; a pie chart representing the sustainability split in the aggregated indicators; and a final sustainability index. In the medium and long term, the INSPIA methodology can help to monitor and assess agricultural and environmental policy implementation, as well as help improve its decision-making processes in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Paula Trivino-Tarradas & Manuel R. Gomez-Ariza & Gottlieb Basch & Emilio J. Gonzalez-Sanchez, 2019. "Sustainability Assessment of Annual and Permanent Crops: The Inspia Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-21, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:738-:d:202214
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Yahui Lv & Chao Zhang & Jiani Ma & Wenju Yun & Lulu Gao & Pengshan Li, 2019. "Sustainability Assessment of Smallholder Farmland Systems: Healthy Farmland System Assessment Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-19, August.
    3. Paula Triviño-Tarradas & Pilar Carranza-Cañadas & Francisco-Javier Mesas-Carrascosa & Emilio J. Gonzalez-Sanchez, 2020. "Evaluation of Agricultural Sustainability on a Mixed Vineyard and Olive-Grove Farm in Southern Spain through the INSPIA Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-22, February.
    4. Trigo, Ana & Marta-Costa, Ana & Fragoso, Rui, 2023. "Improving sustainability assessment: A context-oriented classification analysis for the wine industry," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    5. María M. Serrano-Baena & Paula Triviño-Tarradas & Carlos Ruiz-Díaz & Rafael E. Hidalgo Fernández, 2020. "Implications of BREEAM Sustainability Assessment on the Design of Hotels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-13, August.

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