DESTiny, an online farm-wide tool to estimate the net carbon emissions of a pasture-based dairy farms in South Africa
The dairy farming industry is an important contributor to both South Africa’s economy and food security. However, dairy in South Africa, like elsewhere in the world, has come under scrutiny because of animal welfare concerns and contributions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To address GHG mitigat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1491973/full |
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| author | Riana Reinecke Riana Reinecke James N. Blignaut James N. Blignaut James N. Blignaut Heinz H. Meissner Pieter A. Swanepoel |
| author_facet | Riana Reinecke Riana Reinecke James N. Blignaut James N. Blignaut James N. Blignaut Heinz H. Meissner Pieter A. Swanepoel |
| author_sort | Riana Reinecke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The dairy farming industry is an important contributor to both South Africa’s economy and food security. However, dairy in South Africa, like elsewhere in the world, has come under scrutiny because of animal welfare concerns and contributions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To address GHG mitigation, we have constructed a farm-level system dynamics model to assess both the emissions, and capture and storage of carbon (C) on farms, to determine whether farms are net emitters of C (i.e., sources) or sequestrators (i.e., sinks). We have considered nutrient flows, the type and volume of feed, the effluent management system, various parameters relating to the herd dynamics, and the overall effect on the farm economy. The resulting online Dairy Environment Sustainability Tool (DESTiny) can help dairy farmers adopt sustainable practices, as well as improve competitiveness and financial sustainability while reducing the farm’s emissions profile, thereby building value-chain and consumer trust. DESTiny can be considered a science-informed evidence-based tool for estimating, monitoring and understanding nutrient and C flows in dairy production systems. It is also a web-based tool (see https://assetresearch.org.za/destiny-tool/) with a user-interface which allows remote users, researchers, practitioners, farmers and technicians ease of access while integrating the system dynamics models with on-farm realities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-03a1ddc428d64493ad974716adcf1e54 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2571-581X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |
| spelling | doaj-art-03a1ddc428d64493ad974716adcf1e542025-01-31T15:55:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems2571-581X2025-01-01910.3389/fsufs.2025.14919731491973DESTiny, an online farm-wide tool to estimate the net carbon emissions of a pasture-based dairy farms in South AfricaRiana Reinecke0Riana Reinecke1James N. Blignaut2James N. Blignaut3James N. Blignaut4Heinz H. Meissner5Pieter A. Swanepoel6Department of Agronomy, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South AfricaASSET Research, Sedgefield, South AfricaASSET Research, Sedgefield, South AfricaSchool of Public Leadership, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South AfricaSouth African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), Pretoria, South AfricaMilk SA, Pretoria, South AfricaDepartment of Agronomy, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South AfricaThe dairy farming industry is an important contributor to both South Africa’s economy and food security. However, dairy in South Africa, like elsewhere in the world, has come under scrutiny because of animal welfare concerns and contributions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To address GHG mitigation, we have constructed a farm-level system dynamics model to assess both the emissions, and capture and storage of carbon (C) on farms, to determine whether farms are net emitters of C (i.e., sources) or sequestrators (i.e., sinks). We have considered nutrient flows, the type and volume of feed, the effluent management system, various parameters relating to the herd dynamics, and the overall effect on the farm economy. The resulting online Dairy Environment Sustainability Tool (DESTiny) can help dairy farmers adopt sustainable practices, as well as improve competitiveness and financial sustainability while reducing the farm’s emissions profile, thereby building value-chain and consumer trust. DESTiny can be considered a science-informed evidence-based tool for estimating, monitoring and understanding nutrient and C flows in dairy production systems. It is also a web-based tool (see https://assetresearch.org.za/destiny-tool/) with a user-interface which allows remote users, researchers, practitioners, farmers and technicians ease of access while integrating the system dynamics models with on-farm realities.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1491973/fullsustainable dairysystem dynamicsDESTinycarbon sinkscarbon emissionsnutrient flows |
| spellingShingle | Riana Reinecke Riana Reinecke James N. Blignaut James N. Blignaut James N. Blignaut Heinz H. Meissner Pieter A. Swanepoel DESTiny, an online farm-wide tool to estimate the net carbon emissions of a pasture-based dairy farms in South Africa Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems sustainable dairy system dynamics DESTiny carbon sinks carbon emissions nutrient flows |
| title | DESTiny, an online farm-wide tool to estimate the net carbon emissions of a pasture-based dairy farms in South Africa |
| title_full | DESTiny, an online farm-wide tool to estimate the net carbon emissions of a pasture-based dairy farms in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | DESTiny, an online farm-wide tool to estimate the net carbon emissions of a pasture-based dairy farms in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | DESTiny, an online farm-wide tool to estimate the net carbon emissions of a pasture-based dairy farms in South Africa |
| title_short | DESTiny, an online farm-wide tool to estimate the net carbon emissions of a pasture-based dairy farms in South Africa |
| title_sort | destiny an online farm wide tool to estimate the net carbon emissions of a pasture based dairy farms in south africa |
| topic | sustainable dairy system dynamics DESTiny carbon sinks carbon emissions nutrient flows |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1491973/full |
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