How does land consolidation in redesigned agricultural enterprises affect CO2 emissions?

Abstract

Greenhouse gases trap heat, contributing to global warming. Tractors, essential for modern agriculture, emit CO2 due to fossil fuel consumption. Reducing these emissions is crucial for environmental sustainability. Land consolidation, which merges small and fragmented plots into larger, more efficient farms, can optimize tractor use and lower fuel consumption. This study examined how farm size, number of plots, aspect ratio and distances affect CO2 emissions. Scenarios were created and grouped for all parameters. The results showed that increasing the number of plots and plot distances in small farms led to higher emissions per unit area. High emissions were not observed in medium and large farm size scenarios. The study concluded that planning small farm plots as close as one piece and limiting medium and large farms to a maximum of 4-5 plots significantly reduced emissions. Effective land consolidation planning can significantly reduce CO2 emissions from tractor use in agriculture.