Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Life cycle assessment quantifies and evaluates the potential environmental impacts of a product or service. In analysing the entire life cycle, from the extraction of the raw materials up to the disposal or recycling of the waste, all of the environmental impacts associated with a product system are recorded.
Agroscope analyses important agricultural systems using a life cycle assessment method adapted to the needs of the agricultural sector in order to offer decision-making tools to policy-makers, administrators, businesspeople and practitioners.
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SALCA Life Cycle Assessment Method
SALCA is a life cycle assessment methodology tailored to agricultural products and processes that we have been developing and using since 2000 to assess farms, production systems, foods and the entire agricultural sector.
Life Cycle Assessment Databases and Software
The SALCAfuture software and the SALCA database are two key tools for implementing SALCA in practice.
Environmental Impacts of Products and Production Systems
The environmental impacts of plant and animal products such as cereals, potatoes, milk and beef are calculated in different projects using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. In this way, the sources of the environmental impacts as well as potential for improvement are identified.
Sustainability and Operational Management
Sustainably produced agricultural products are the prerequisite for a future-proof agricultural sector. For this reason, it is of crucial importance to develop reliable evaluation schemes for assessing the sustainability of farms and production systems for all three dimensions of sustainability – environment, the economy and social aspects.
Environmental Assessment of Agricultural Policy Scenarios and Sectoral Measures
Agricultural policy not only influences the framework conditions of the Swiss agricultural sector but also affects its environmental impacts, both in Switzerland and in other countries. It is therefore important to account for the environmental impacts along the entire value chain, both in Switzerland and abroad.
Environmentally Conscious Eating
Our diet not only has a significant effect on the environment, but also a major influence on our health. We evaluate solutions for a healthy and environmentally friendly way of eating.
