Developing a carbon accounting tool for SMEs in the agri-food sector

The global agri-food system accounts for about 37% of total annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the agri-food Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) share is quite significant. Therefore, it has created an urgency for GHG reporting and management improvements. However, most tools available for GHG accounting are complex to utilize and expensive for SMEs to access. The methodology adopted in this study consists of a literature review of GHG emissions and measurement methods, an evaluation of the GHG Protocol and tool development of a GHG emission calculation tool. The literature review reveals that there has not been much research on the accuracy and position of emissions in agri-food systems, particularly in the value chain. Therefore, this paper reviews the existing GHG calculation tools focusing on the GHG Protocol. This work establishes a sector-specific calculation tool for the agri-food sector. The tool was designed following the most widely used standard, the GHG Protocol, alongside evaluating a local agri-food business to ensure a sector-specific assessment. The tool will not only support businesses in reducing GHG emissions in the environment and contribute to their emissions reduction plans and monitoring progress over time.