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Emergy Analysis for Jute Production in Bangladesh

M. M. Rahman
Principal Scientific Officer
BJRI, Dhaka

B. K. Bala
Professor
BAU, Mymensingh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study presents an emergy analysis for jute production in Bangladesh to explore and evaluate the environmental and economic inputs, harvested yield and to assess sustainability of the production process. Emergy values for jute production are renewable (3.00E+11 sej/m²/year), non-renewable purchased materials (3.87E+11 sej/m²/year) and services (1.84E+12 sej/m²/year), output (yield), (2.72E+ 13 sej/m²/year) and economic value of output emergy (2.53E+11 sej/m²/year) for the year 2006. Two types of environmental indicators: sustainability indicators and return on investment emergy indicators of jute production for the year 1997 to 2006 were also investigated. Emergy sustainability index for 10 years (1997- 2006) indicated a very good figure between I and 2. But in case of return on investment, which is very low (0.10 to 0.114) indicated the price paid for emergy for the produce is extremely poor in local as well as international market. This study reveals that the jute production is emergetically efficient and does not impose any extra load to the environment, but economically it is not promising. The emergy indicators presented are useful in the policy planning and management of jute production systems.

Keywords: Emergy; Jute production; Environmental indicators; Sustainability index; Return on investment.

Location: Central Research Station (CRS), Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI), Manikgonj sadar thana, Manikgonj

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Jute

Objectives:

To explore and evaluate the environmental and economic inputs, harvested yield and to assess sustainability of the production process

Methodology:

The emergy accounting methodology has been developed over the last three decades as a tool for environmental policy and to evaluate the quality of resources based on the dynarnics of complex environmental and economic systems. Emergy analysis methods are explained, illustrated and used to diagram the agro-ecosystem, to evaluate environmental and economic inputs and harvested yield, and to assess the sustainability of the jute production system as a whole. By means of a systemic analysis of the relationships among components of jute production systems web, the flows of energy and other resources converging to produce the output (fibre, stick, and residues) can be evaluated on a common basis, i.e. the content of solar equivalent energy. Associated with the agro-ecosystern, the basic indices of ecological interest for crop production process are Percent Renewable (%R), Emergy Yield Ratio (EYR), Environmental Loading Ratio (ELR), Emergy Sustainability Index (ESI), Emergy Investment Ratio (EIR), Emergy Exchange Ratio (EER) and Return on Investment based on ernergy flows. The first step of an emergy analysis is a systems diagram showing energy and material flows for jute production. The second step for the emergy assessment is to organize the different inputs in emergy evaluation. In the third step ernergy indices (%R, EYR, ELR, ESI, EIR, EER and Return on investment) are calculated for a time frame. For jute production system these indices of last 10 years are calculated and explained the trends of change of indices and environmental consequences, which is an important component of agro-ecosystem of Bangladesh agricultural production.

Source of Information: Journal of Agricultural Engineering, The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, Vol. 33/AE, December, 2007

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

In the present study the ernergy of jute fibre in renewable (3.00E+ II sej/m2/year), non- renewable purchased materials (3.87E+11 sej/m/year), non-renewable purchased services (1.84E+ 12 sej/m/year) and output (yield: 2. 72E+ 13 sej/m/year) solar equivalent joule per unit area and time are quantified to open the environmental account of jute fibre production process with economic value of output (2.53 E I I I sej!m2/ycar) for the year 2006. It also quanti fied two types of environmental indicators namely, sustainability and return on invested emcrgy for last 10 years (1997 to 2006). Among the sustainability indices of jute fibre production system for the year 2006; (i) renewability fraction 11.9%, (ii) emergy yield ratio 12.2, (i i i) environmental load ing ratio 7.43 and (iv) sustainability index (ESI) 1.65 cut a good figure for the system in long run sustainability. Percent of renewability indicated that 88.1 % of the emcrgy derives from non-renewable sources, in this case only from purchased materials and services which is little bit higher for jute production system. But appreciably it can be concluded that the use of this purchased non-renewable sources utilized efficiently (crnergy yield ratio 12.2) for developing economy in Bangladesh. Medium load on environment (7.43) was given by jute fibre production system but achieved a good sustainability (ESI: 1.65) and can be explained well for developing economy. Ernergy sustainability index for last 10 years (19897 to 2006) indicated a very good figure with an exception for the year 2003. In the case of return on invested emergy indices for the year 2006; emergy investment ratio (EIR) and emergy exchange ratio (EER) are 7.43 and 107 respectively, both are very positive for jute fibre production system. But in case of return on investment, which is extraordinarily low (0.114) indicating that the price erncrgy paid for the produce is extremely poor. This gives a real picture of the present local as well as international market price of jute fibre. Jute fibre production needs 88.6% more emergy price to equalize the emergy expenditure of jute fibre production process. Similar picture is observed for the last 10 years (1997 to 2006) indices. It revealed from the study that the jute fibre production process did not impose any excessive load to the environment but much efficiently the process utilized the supplied emergies and at the same time the production process is sustainable for long run in the developing economy of Bangladesh. Jute fibre should get more price ernergy to compensate the ernergy expenditure for the produce.

Knowledge Management: Journal