Pegada hídrica da atividade suinícola na região do COREDE Serra

Abstract

The pig activity, as well as other livestock activities, is directly dependent on natural resources. The lack of knowledge about the impact on water resources in the cattle industry can jeopardize the growth of the sector, highlighting the need for methodologies to assess the performance of the same. In this context, the water footprint comes as a comprehensive indicator of water use that evaluates what is the consumption used, directly or indirectly, to produce a particular product throughout the supply chain. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the water footprint in the development of pig activity in the Corede Serra region, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, considering the pigs slaughtered in the year 2014. The calculation of the water footprint was applied to the production process of corn and soybeans, aimed at feeding the pigs (green water footprint) and the confinement process, which were considered the volumes of water for animal watering, cleaning the areas of creation and incorporation into the animal (blue water footprint) and the volume of water needed to dilute the phosphorus load of bleach from the application of manure fertilizer and finds the water (gray water footprint). The green water footprint is the most significant (59.35%), followed by the gray water footprint (40.44%) and the blue water footprint (0.21%). It is observed that the highest water consumption is in the production of corn and soybean crops, which are the staple diet of the animals and not in the water associated with the confinement process. Reducing the green water footprint is necessary to increase the productivity of corn and soybeans, through investments in technologies and zoning, associated with programs and policies aimed at increasing crop productivity. Investing in more efficient models drinking fountains, giving an adequate volume of water and meet the phase of breeding, presents itself as a low-cost option for saving water and consequent reduction of the blue water footprint. The gray water footprint can be reduced through the use of more efficient technologies for processing of manure, so that phosphorus is removed or reduced to low levels before being applied to the soil. By applying the methodology of water footprint in a reference unit consisting of thirty-one municipalities, it was observed that the level of detail of the information required to obtain a result consistent with the actual situation, it is a real challenge. The results from this work will be used in the planning of pig activities in COREDE Serra with a view to managing water resources.