Comparative analysis of environmental impact and energy consumption in sesame and mung bean production using life cycle assessment and data envelopment analysis

The study aimed to evaluate energy consumption patterns, environmental impacts, and optimization of energy use in sesame and mung bean productions in Abdanan, Iran. Data were gathered and evaluated using surveys from 41 farmers through questionnaire and face to face interview. The results revealed that for sesame production, the energy ratio was 1.68, energy productivity was 0.067 kg MJ-1 and specific energy was 14.48 MJ kg-1, while for mung bean production, these values were significantly lower at 0.72, 0.049 kg MJ-1 and 2.32 MJ kg-1. In terms of environmental impact, sesame production exhibited fewer emissions across most of the 15 mid-point environmental indicators assessed, with mung bean production resulting in higher emissions related to ecosystem quality, human health, climate change and resource depletion; specifically, the global warming potential for producing one ton of sesame was calculated as 1459.17 kg CO2eq compared to 2237.11 kg CO2eq for mung bean. The primary contributor to climate change was identified as direct emissions from input usage, with reduced diesel fuel consumption in sesame farming significantly mitigating environmental impacts. Efficiency analysis using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) indicated that 65.85 % of mung bean production units were efficient in the Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) model and 34.15 % in the Constant Returns to Scale (CRS) model. For sesame production, these rates were 56.09 % in the VRS and 36.58 % in the CRS model. Average technical efficiency was estimated at 87.89 % for mung bean and 85.83 % for sesame. The study concludes that sesame production is more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly compared to mung bean production, suggesting that farmers should adopt practices that reduce diesel fuel consumption and optimize input usage to enhance sustainability and minimize environmental impacts. Future research could explore alternative farming practices that further improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in both crops.