Azolla: a small fern with a high potential

Assessing the environmental impacts of Azolla-based feed in the transition to a circular agricultural system

Master thesis (2021)

Authors

H.L.M. Ballemans Technology, Policy and Management

Contributors

J.B. Guinée Education and Student Affairs (supervisor 1)
P.M. van Bodegom Universiteit Leiden (supervisor 2)
Faculty
Technology, Policy and Management
Copyright: © 2021 Heleen Ballemans
Circular economy Life cycle assessment Agro-industrial systems Scenario-based modelling Livestock feed
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Published Date

20-07-2021

Language

English

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Faculty

Technology, Policy and Management

Abstract

The Azolla Filiculoidis is a subtype of aquatic fern species that thrives on fresh surface water bodies, and has a nutritive profile similar to soybean. In this thesis research, it was examined to what extent the large-scale implementation of Azolla-based livestock feed production will affect the future environmental sustainability performance of the Dutch livestock feed sector, in the context of the transition to a circular agricultural system (CAS). To that end, two novel, circular, Azolla-based feed production systems (FPSs) were designed as alternatives to the incumbent, linear, soy-based FPS. Subsequently, these FPSs were combined into three feed production scenarios: a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario which primarily relies on soy, as well as a local farming project (LFP) and a regional supply chains (RSC) scenario, in which the Azolla-based FPSs become dominant by 2050. The environmental impacts of each scenario were quantified in an ex-ante life cycle assessment (LCA), using the Activity Browser (AB) modelling tool. It appeared that, under the given assumptions, the LFP and RSC scenarios perform substantially better on all included environmental indicators by mid-century. This study opens the way for more profound future-oriented environmental modelling research, and recommends follow-up research on the biogeochemical carbon cycle of agro-industrial production systems in an LCA context, the development of fore- and background data for (circular) feed production, and the advancement of the AB software tool.