Evaluación del ciclo de vida (LCA) del café de Guatemala como instrumento para formular políticas que incrementen la competitividad en el mercado internacional.
Fecha
2003-10
Autores
Manrique Martínez, Giovanni Martín
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Editor
Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
Resumen
En esta tesis se realiza una evaluación del perfil ambiental de la cadena del café mediante la
aplicación de la Evaluación del Ciclo de Vida (LCA), por sus siglas en ingles (Life Cycle
Assesment). El LCA es una metodología para evaluar las cargas ambientales de un
producto, proceso y actividad identificado y cuantificando el uso de materia, energía y los
vertidos al entorno, que en este trabajo se aplica orientado a la detección de lineamientos de
política sectorial.
Los limites de la cadena del café se evaluaron del almacigo al consumo final en el mercado
europeo y particularmente a la República de Alemania, por considerarse el país de europeo
a donde va la mayor parte de las exportaciones de Guatemala. La cadena se segmento en las
siguientes cinco fases: agrícola, beneficiado, torrefacción, transporte y consumo.
Se utilizaron escenarios comparativos para realizar la evaluación. Un escenario base con
un sistema productivo convencional utilizando plaguicidas para el control de plagas y un
escenario alternativo que utiliza un control biológico de plagas. Para ambos escenarios se
identificaron distintas categorías de impactos, tales como: calentamiento global, toxicidad
humanan (suelo, aire, agua), ecotoxicidad (terrestre y acuática), eutrofización y
acidificación. Adicionalmente se realizó una evaluación cualitativa de la toxicidad humana
y el destino ambiental de los plaguicidas.
Mediante los resultados obtenidos se identificaron los beneficios y limitaciones de cada
escenario. Así como los segmentos que generan mayores impactos ambientales. Estos
resultados dieron a conocer que el segmento con mayor intervención ambiental es el
agrícola, contribuyendo principalmente a la toxicidad humana y a la ecotoxicidad. Además
el escenario base tiene mayor uso de plaguicidas, pero también tiene un mayor rendimiento
y un menor uso de fertilizantes. En el caso del escenario alternativo por tener mayor
intensidad en el uso de fertilizantes, su intervención en las categorías de calentamiento
global, eutrofización y acidificación son mayores.
In this thesis, an evaluation of the environmental profile of the coffee chain is carried out through the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), for its acronym in English (Life Cycle Assessment). The LCA is a methodology to assess the environmental loads of a product, process and activity identified and quantifying the use of matter, energy and discharged to the environment, which in this work is applied oriented to the detection of guidelines of sector policy. The limits of the coffee chain were evaluated from the nursery to the final consumption in the market. European and particularly to the Republic of Germany, for considering itself the country of European where most of Guatemala's exports go. The chain is segmented at following five phases: agricultural, processing, roasting, transport and consumption. Comparative scenarios were used to perform the evaluation. A baseline scenario with a conventional production system using pesticides for pest control and a alternative scenario using biological pest control. For both scenarios, identified different categories of impacts, such as: global warming, toxicity human (soil, air, water), ecotoxicity (terrestrial and aquatic), eutrophication and acidification. Additionally, a qualitative evaluation of human toxicity was carried out. and the environmental fate of pesticides. Through the results obtained, the benefits and limitations of each stage. As well as the segments that generate the greatest environmental impacts. These The results revealed that the segment with the greatest environmental intervention is the agriculture, mainly contributing to human toxicity and ecotoxicity. Besides the baseline scenario has higher pesticide use, but also has higher yields and less use of fertilizers. In the case of the alternative scenario, due to having greater intensity in the use of fertilizers, their intervention in the warming categories global, eutrophication and acidification are higher.
In this thesis, an evaluation of the environmental profile of the coffee chain is carried out through the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), for its acronym in English (Life Cycle Assessment). The LCA is a methodology to assess the environmental loads of a product, process and activity identified and quantifying the use of matter, energy and discharged to the environment, which in this work is applied oriented to the detection of guidelines of sector policy. The limits of the coffee chain were evaluated from the nursery to the final consumption in the market. European and particularly to the Republic of Germany, for considering itself the country of European where most of Guatemala's exports go. The chain is segmented at following five phases: agricultural, processing, roasting, transport and consumption. Comparative scenarios were used to perform the evaluation. A baseline scenario with a conventional production system using pesticides for pest control and a alternative scenario using biological pest control. For both scenarios, identified different categories of impacts, such as: global warming, toxicity human (soil, air, water), ecotoxicity (terrestrial and aquatic), eutrophication and acidification. Additionally, a qualitative evaluation of human toxicity was carried out. and the environmental fate of pesticides. Through the results obtained, the benefits and limitations of each stage. As well as the segments that generate the greatest environmental impacts. These The results revealed that the segment with the greatest environmental intervention is the agriculture, mainly contributing to human toxicity and ecotoxicity. Besides the baseline scenario has higher pesticide use, but also has higher yields and less use of fertilizers. In the case of the alternative scenario, due to having greater intensity in the use of fertilizers, their intervention in the warming categories global, eutrophication and acidification are higher.
Descripción
Palabras clave
CAFÉ, GUATEMALA, MERCADO INTERNACIONAL, COMPETIVIDAD, EVALUACIÓN DEL CICLO DE VIDA