Economics for Environment Development: Scope and Options (A case study on dairy Industry)
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Abstract
The dairy industry plays a crucial role in global food systems, but its environmental footprint raises concerns about the sector's long-term sustainability. This study explores the scope and options for integrating sustainable practices into dairy production, focusing on the interplay between economic development and environmental conservation. Through a comprehensive literature review and advanced text analysis techniques, including topic modeling, t-SNE analysis, and trend analysis, the research examines the key variables influencing sustainability outcomes in the dairy industry. The findings highlight the significant environmental impacts of dairy farming, such as greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and land degradation, and underscore the need for adopting sustainable practices to mitigate these effects. The study also reveals the complex interactions between economic factors, policy interventions, and environmental sustainability, emphasizing the importance of balancing these dimensions to ensure the sector's viability. The research identifies barriers to adopting sustainable technologies, particularly for small and medium-sized farms, and explores the role of consumer demand in driving eco-friendly production. The study proposes a theoretical model and a path model to illustrate the relationships among key variables and their impact on sustainability outcomes. The discussion emphasizes the managerial, societal, and research implications of the findings, highlighting the need for stakeholder collaboration, policy support, and further research to promote sustainable development in the dairy industry. The study concludes by outlining future research directions, including the investigation of technological innovations, comparative regional analysis, and the social dimensions of sustainability transitions in the dairy sector.