Carbon footprint and mitigation strategies among heterogeneous dairy farms in Paraná, Brazil

Dairy production is a vital part of the Brazilian agri-food system, providing food security, employment, and income in rural areas. Nevertheless, rearing dairy cattle leads to greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions which may contribute to global warming and consequently climate change. The remarkable heterogeneity among dairy farms as well as the lack of representative research pose constraints to the development of effective actions to reduce GHG emissions in emerging countries. In this study, we explore a large farm survey to group farms and derive their carbon footprint (CF). Cluster analysis and life cycle assessment are applied to a sample of 911 farms. The results of the analysis categorized the farms into four groups. Statistical comparisons indicated a significant difference in the CF between groups for producing one kg of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM). The mean CF results ranged from 1.75 kg CO2eq. (kg FPCM)−1 in Group 1 (G1) to 3.27 kg CO2eq. (kg FPCM)−1 in Group 4 (G4). While G1 was composed of larger farms, on average having more access to technologies and technical support, G4 was composed of less specialized producers, owning dual-purpose herds. We also identified and discussed key strategies and management practices that can be adopted by farmers for reducing the CF of dairy farming. Research and policy should strive to accelerate farmers’ adoption of intensification technologies and practices, though following sustainable intensification practices that also account for regional socioeconomic development.