A Transportation Network Optimization Model for Livestock Manure under Different Terrains Considering Economic and Environmental Benefits

Bing Deng, Taoyu Chen, Zhenyu Pu, Xia Peng, Xiner Qin, Xiaomei Zhan and Jianghui Wen
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Bing Deng: School of Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Taoyu Chen: School of Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Zhenyu Pu: Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430208, China
Xia Peng: Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430208, China
Xiner Qin: Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430208, China
Xiaomei Zhan: School of Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Jianghui Wen: School of Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-18

Abstract: Optimizing the path of livestock manure used for farmland is a hugely significant issue, which not only improves the utilization efficiency of manure but also reduces the cost of the transportation of manure. However, some factors such as different terrains and the density of surrounding farmland may lead to more difficulty in further improving the resource utilization rate. Therefore, this paper aims to establish a transport network optimization model for a complex livestock manure distribution scheme. Using basic information from livestock and poultry farms, cultivated land, water areas and forestland in Xinzhou District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, the relationship between farmland and livestock farms is divided into farm-intensive and water-intensive farmland areas by using the Voronoi diagram subdivision method. Then, according to the supply–demand balance of manure and crop demand, an optimization model is proposed to discuss the manure return scheme for these two types of terrain. The results show that our model can help significantly improve manure utilization efficiency under different terrain situations, which is proposed comprehensively, considering the economic and environmental benefits.

Keywords: regional division; manure returning to the field; distribution plan optimization; economic loss evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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