Reducing deforestation and improving livestock productivity: greenhouse gas mitigation potential of silvopastoral systems in Caquetá

Colombiaʼs agriculture, forestry and other land use sector accounts for nearly half of its total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The importance of smallholder deforestation is comparatively high in relation to its regional counterparts, and livestock agriculture represents the largest driver of prim...

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Main Authors: Landholm, David M., Pradhan, Prajal, Wegmann, Peter, Romero Sánchez, Miguel Antonio, Suárez Salazar, Juan Carlos, Kropp, Juergen P
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: IOP Publishing 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/105716
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author Landholm, David M.
Pradhan, Prajal
Wegmann, Peter
Romero Sánchez, Miguel Antonio
Suárez Salazar, Juan Carlos
Kropp, Juergen P
author_browse Kropp, Juergen P
Landholm, David M.
Pradhan, Prajal
Romero Sánchez, Miguel Antonio
Suárez Salazar, Juan Carlos
Wegmann, Peter
author_facet Landholm, David M.
Pradhan, Prajal
Wegmann, Peter
Romero Sánchez, Miguel Antonio
Suárez Salazar, Juan Carlos
Kropp, Juergen P
author_sort Landholm, David M.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Colombiaʼs agriculture, forestry and other land use sector accounts for nearly half of its total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The importance of smallholder deforestation is comparatively high in relation to its regional counterparts, and livestock agriculture represents the largest driver of primary forest depletion. Silvopastoral systems (SPSs) are presented as agroecological solutions that synergistically enhance livestock productivity, improve local farmers’ livelihoods and hold the potential to reduce pressure on forest conversion. The department of Caquetá represents Colombia’s most important deforestation hotspot. Targeting smallholder livestock farms through survey data, in this work we investigate theGHGmitigation potential of implementing SPSs for smallholder farms in this region. Specifically, we assess whether the carbon sequestration taking place in the soil and biomass of SPSs is sufficient to offset the per-hectare increase in livestockGHGemissions resulting from higher stocking rates. To address these questions we use data on livestock population characteristics and historic land cover changes reported from a survey covering 158 farms and model the carbon sequestration occurring in three different scenarios of progressively-increased SPS complexity using theCO2 fix model.Wefind that, even with moderate tree planting densities, the implementation of SPSs can reduceGHGemissions by 2.6MgCO2e ha−1 yr−1 in relation to current practices, while increasing agriculture productivity and contributing to the restoration of severely degraded landscapes.
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spelling CGSpace1057162024-05-01T08:17:26Z Reducing deforestation and improving livestock productivity: greenhouse gas mitigation potential of silvopastoral systems in Caquetá Landholm, David M. Pradhan, Prajal Wegmann, Peter Romero Sánchez, Miguel Antonio Suárez Salazar, Juan Carlos Kropp, Juergen P deforestation silvopastoral systems greenhouse gas emissions livestock carbon sequestration Colombiaʼs agriculture, forestry and other land use sector accounts for nearly half of its total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The importance of smallholder deforestation is comparatively high in relation to its regional counterparts, and livestock agriculture represents the largest driver of primary forest depletion. Silvopastoral systems (SPSs) are presented as agroecological solutions that synergistically enhance livestock productivity, improve local farmers’ livelihoods and hold the potential to reduce pressure on forest conversion. The department of Caquetá represents Colombia’s most important deforestation hotspot. Targeting smallholder livestock farms through survey data, in this work we investigate theGHGmitigation potential of implementing SPSs for smallholder farms in this region. Specifically, we assess whether the carbon sequestration taking place in the soil and biomass of SPSs is sufficient to offset the per-hectare increase in livestockGHGemissions resulting from higher stocking rates. To address these questions we use data on livestock population characteristics and historic land cover changes reported from a survey covering 158 farms and model the carbon sequestration occurring in three different scenarios of progressively-increased SPS complexity using theCO2 fix model.Wefind that, even with moderate tree planting densities, the implementation of SPSs can reduceGHGemissions by 2.6MgCO2e ha−1 yr−1 in relation to current practices, while increasing agriculture productivity and contributing to the restoration of severely degraded landscapes. 2019-11-01 2019-11-12T20:49:00Z 2019-11-12T20:49:00Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/105716 en Open Access IOP Publishing Landholm, David M.; Pradhan, Prajal; Wegmann, Peter; Romero Sánchez, Miguel Antonio; Suárez Salazar, Juan Carlos and Kropp, Juergen P. (2019) .Reducing deforestation and improving livestock productivity: greenhouse gas mitigation potential of silvopastoral systems in Caquetá. Environmental Research Letters, 1748-9326.
spellingShingle deforestation
silvopastoral systems
greenhouse gas emissions
livestock
carbon sequestration
Landholm, David M.
Pradhan, Prajal
Wegmann, Peter
Romero Sánchez, Miguel Antonio
Suárez Salazar, Juan Carlos
Kropp, Juergen P
Reducing deforestation and improving livestock productivity: greenhouse gas mitigation potential of silvopastoral systems in Caquetá
title Reducing deforestation and improving livestock productivity: greenhouse gas mitigation potential of silvopastoral systems in Caquetá
title_full Reducing deforestation and improving livestock productivity: greenhouse gas mitigation potential of silvopastoral systems in Caquetá
title_fullStr Reducing deforestation and improving livestock productivity: greenhouse gas mitigation potential of silvopastoral systems in Caquetá
title_full_unstemmed Reducing deforestation and improving livestock productivity: greenhouse gas mitigation potential of silvopastoral systems in Caquetá
title_short Reducing deforestation and improving livestock productivity: greenhouse gas mitigation potential of silvopastoral systems in Caquetá
title_sort reducing deforestation and improving livestock productivity greenhouse gas mitigation potential of silvopastoral systems in caqueta
topic deforestation
silvopastoral systems
greenhouse gas emissions
livestock
carbon sequestration
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/105716
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