Identifying Mitigation Pathways for Low-Carbon Strawberry Production under Mediterranean Conditions: A Life Cycle...

Agricultural production is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the need for region-specific assessments of climate impacts across food systems. This study evaluates the carbon footprint of open-field strawberry production in the Silifke district (Mersin, Türkiye) using a process-based Life Cycle Assessment approach with a cradle-to-farm-gate system boundary and a functional unit of 1 kg of strawberries. Life cycle modeling was performed in SimaPro using background data from Ecoinvent 3.10, and impacts were quantified using the IPCC 2021 Global Warming Potential method. The results indicate a total carbon footprint of 0.25052 kg CO₂-eq kg^{- 1}, placing the system within the lower range reported for Mediterranean strawberry production. The cultivation stage was the dominant contributor (77.56%), followed by raw material supply (22.44%). Fertilizer use, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizers, was identified as the primary emission hotspot. Scenario analysis showed that a 20% reduction in fertilizer application decreases the carbon footprint by 9.83%, while solar-powered irrigation results in only a minor reduction (0.56%). Sensitivity analysis confirmed fertilizer inputs as the dominant emission driver (S ≈ 0.49), while electricity consumption has negligible influence. Yield sensitivity further showed that reduced productivity significantly increases carbon footprint, highlighting fertilizer optimization and yield stability as key mitigation strategies.