Assessing greenhouse gasses emitted from on-farm irrigation pumps: Case studies from Egypt

Increasing greenhouse gas emission has become a worldwide concern as it is considered a major driver of global warming and climate change. Clear picture of greenhouse gasses emissions due to utilizing energy for on-farm irrigation pumps is a key guide for decision makers to identify strategies for greenhouse gasses emission reduction that consequently impact on the national and international level. The current study determined the carbon emitted from three common categories of diesel and electric on-farm irrigation pumps in Egypt. A set of environmental, economic, and social evaluating indicators were applied to carry out a comparative analysis among the pump categories in three study areas at El-Behera Governorate. The study showed that pumping 1 m3 of water for irrigating the cropping pattern at the study areas produces an average of 690 ton CO2. The study illustrated that electrical pumps are more environmentally, economically, and socially advantageous than diesel pumps.