NEEDS FOR DETERMINING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND PROSPECTS OF ITS APPLICATION

This paper discusses the importance of the carbon footprint for the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions generated by various production processes in the agri-food sector. The methodology of its determination based on the LCA guidelines, including GHG emissions throughout the product life cycle from “cradle to grave”, has been presented. In the light of studies to date, it turns out that greenhouse gas emissions in the systems of animal production and field crops influence significantly the carbon footprint values of the final food products. Low emission agriculture in Poland is one of the main priorities in the current PROW program for the years 2014-2020. Progress in reducing the carbon footprint of agricultural production is an important attribute of innovative development of agriculture.