LCA-Based Environmental Performance of Olive Cultivation in Northwestern Greece: From Rainfed to Irrigated through Conventional and Smart Crop Management Practices

Olive cultivation is expanding rapidly in the northwestern part of Greece, under both rainfed and irrigated practices. Irrigation can result larger yields economic returns, but trade-offs water–energy–pollution nexus remain a controversial challenging issue. This study presents an environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Greek olive orchard systems plain Arta (Epirus), comparing (baseline), Decision Support System (DSS)-based (smart) irrigation practices farmer experience-based (conventional) The contributions this paper are, first, to provide first quantitative indication performance growing different management strategies, second, detail advantages that be achieved using smart Mediterranean contexts. Eighteen midpoints (e.g., climate change, water scarcity, acidification, freshwater eutrophication, etc.), two endpoints (damages on human health ecosystem quality), single score (overall impact) were quantified IMPACT World+ life cycle impact assessment method. LCA model was set up OpenLCA software v1.10.3. functional units 1 ton product (mass-based) ha cultivated area (area-based) cradle-to-farm gate perspective. Irrigated had lowest impacts per mass unit due higher yields, showed highest area. DSS-based could reduce energy use by 42.1% compared conventional translated into reduction 5.3% 10.4% total impact. A sensitivity analysis models demonstrated benefits 18% for or 22.6% land. These results outline promising option support less resource-intensive sustainable intensification agriculture Arta.