Field Experiences improvement and carbon sequestration through participatory nutrient management

Abstract

The Kyoto Protocol recognizes that net emissions may be reduced either by decreasing the rate at which greenhouse gases are emitted to the atmosphere or by increasing the rate at which greenhouse gases are removed from the atmosphere through sinks. Agricultural soils are among the planet’s largest reservoirs of carbon and hold potential for expanded carbon sequestration, and thus provide a prospective way of mitigating the increasing atmospheric concentration of CO2 . Within the context of the Kyoto Protocol and subsequent COP discussions, a number of features make CS on agricultural and forestry lands an attractive strategy for mitigating increases in atmospheric concentrations of green houses gases. Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol appears to allow for expansion of recognized human-induced sink activities. Recent post Kyoto agreements consider soil sinks in countries, recognizing the substantial potential of agricultural and grassland and forest soils to sequester carbon and the need for provisions of national credits for the buildup of the agricultural soil carbon sink. A number of agricultural practices are known to stimulate the accumulation of additional soil carbon with soil fertility improvements and positive land productivity and environmental effects. Their role for human management of carbon is likely to increase as we learn more about their characteristics and new approaches, conservation tillage for example, are introduced. The focus of this paper is on agricultural soils as carbon sinks. The document was prepared with FAO’s own resources as a contribution to the FAO/IFAD programme on “Prevention of Land Degradation, Enhancement of Soil and Plant Biodiversity and Carbon Sequestration through Sustainable Land Management and Land Use change”. The objective of this programme is to address the urgent need to reverse land degradation due to deforestation and inadequate land use/management in the tropics and sub-tropics. It is proposed to deal with this issue through the promotion of improved land use systems and land management practices which provide economic gains and environmental benefits, greater agro-biodiversity, improved conservation and environmental management and increased carbon sequestration. The programme will contribute to the development of regional and national programmes linking the Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)-Kyoto Protocol, the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) and the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD), focusing on synergies among the three Conventions. This publication provides a valuable review of a variety of land management practices which could produce win-win effects of increasing production as well as agricultural and forestlands carbon soil stock which could earn credit toward national emission targets. It should contribute significantly to the emerging debates on sustainable land use and climate change mitigation. It is hoped that this document will prove useful to CDM and funding agencies, planners and administrators by contributing factual information on soil carbon sequestration potential to their decisions to undertake research, development and investment programmes in the agricultural/rural land use sector aiming at improving land management, checking land degradation and deforestation.