Identifying Mitigation Pathways for Low‐Carbon Strawberry Production under Mediterranean Conditions: A Life Cycle Assessment

ABSTRACT Agricultural production is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the need for region‐specific assessments of climate impacts across food systems. This study evaluates the carbon footprint of open‐field strawberry production in the Silifke district (Mersin, Türkiye) using a process‐based Life Cycle Assessment approach with a cradle‐to‐farm‐gate system boundary and a functional unit of 1 kg of strawberries. Life cycle modeling was performed in SimaPro using background data from Ecoinvent 3.10, and impacts were quantified using the IPCC 2021 Global Warming Potential method. The results indicate a total carbon footprint of 0.25052 kg CO 2 ‐eq kg − 1 , placing the system within the lower range reported for Mediterranean strawberry production. The cultivation stage was the dominant contributor (77.56%), followed by raw material supply (22.44%). Fertilizer use, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizers, was identified as the primary emission hotspot. Scenario analysis showed that a 20% reduction in fertilizer application decreases the carbon footprint by 9.83%, while solar‐powered irrigation results in only a minor reduction (0.56%). Sensitivity analysis confirmed fertilizer inputs as the dominant emission driver (S ≈ 0.49), while electricity consumption has negligible influence. Yield sensitivity further showed that reduced productivity significantly increases carbon footprint, highlighting fertilizer optimization and yield stability as key mitigation strategies.