Carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry in Africa

Agroforestry can raise carbon (C) stocks of agricultural systems, and such increases can potentially be sold as CO2 emission offsets. We assembled information on the biophysical, technical, economic, and practical potential of agroforestry to sequester C for the West African Sahel, East Africa, and...

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Autores principales: Luedeling, Eike, Sileshi, Gudeta W., Beedy, Tracy, Dietz, Johannes
Formato: Capítulo de libro
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Springer 2011
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/41998
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author Luedeling, Eike
Sileshi, Gudeta W.
Beedy, Tracy
Dietz, Johannes
author_browse Beedy, Tracy
Dietz, Johannes
Luedeling, Eike
Sileshi, Gudeta W.
author_facet Luedeling, Eike
Sileshi, Gudeta W.
Beedy, Tracy
Dietz, Johannes
author_sort Luedeling, Eike
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Agroforestry can raise carbon (C) stocks of agricultural systems, and such increases can potentially be sold as CO2 emission offsets. We assembled information on the biophysical, technical, economic, and practical potential of agroforestry to sequester C for the West African Sahel, East Africa, and Southern Africa. Agroforestry systems (AFS) such as parklands, live fences, and homegardens had substantial C stocks, but only accumulated 0.2 0.8 Mg C ha?1 year?1. Rotational woodlots (2.2 5.8 Mg C ha?1 year?1) and possibly improved fallows in Southern Africa sequestered C relatively faster, but only during the fallow phases. Data on soil C are scarce because most studies only compared soil C under different land uses, which provides limited (and sometimes unreliable) information on sequestration rates. Comparing results from different studies is difficult, because no standard protocols exist. Few studies have evaluated the economic potential of agroforestry to sequester C. However, at prices of $10 per Mg CO2-eq or less, the value of stored C in most systems would be less than $30 ha?1 year?1, which is a small fraction of annual farm revenue and it needs to cover all transaction measurement reporting and verification costs. Practical constraints to C sequestration (CS) such as land tenure, policy issues, and the opportunity costs incurred by possibly foregoing more profitable land management options have not been fully explored for Africa. For evaluating the challenges and opportunities involved in CS by smallholder farmers, comprehensive studies are needed that explore all C and non-C costs and benefits of agroforestry activities.
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spelling CGSpace419982024-06-26T09:37:31Z Carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry in Africa Luedeling, Eike Sileshi, Gudeta W. Beedy, Tracy Dietz, Johannes agriculture climate carbon sequestration agroforestry Agroforestry can raise carbon (C) stocks of agricultural systems, and such increases can potentially be sold as CO2 emission offsets. We assembled information on the biophysical, technical, economic, and practical potential of agroforestry to sequester C for the West African Sahel, East Africa, and Southern Africa. Agroforestry systems (AFS) such as parklands, live fences, and homegardens had substantial C stocks, but only accumulated 0.2 0.8 Mg C ha?1 year?1. Rotational woodlots (2.2 5.8 Mg C ha?1 year?1) and possibly improved fallows in Southern Africa sequestered C relatively faster, but only during the fallow phases. Data on soil C are scarce because most studies only compared soil C under different land uses, which provides limited (and sometimes unreliable) information on sequestration rates. Comparing results from different studies is difficult, because no standard protocols exist. Few studies have evaluated the economic potential of agroforestry to sequester C. However, at prices of $10 per Mg CO2-eq or less, the value of stored C in most systems would be less than $30 ha?1 year?1, which is a small fraction of annual farm revenue and it needs to cover all transaction measurement reporting and verification costs. Practical constraints to C sequestration (CS) such as land tenure, policy issues, and the opportunity costs incurred by possibly foregoing more profitable land management options have not been fully explored for Africa. For evaluating the challenges and opportunities involved in CS by smallholder farmers, comprehensive studies are needed that explore all C and non-C costs and benefits of agroforestry activities. 2011 2014-08-15T12:13:15Z 2014-08-15T12:13:15Z Book Chapter https://hdl.handle.net/10568/41998 en Limited Access Springer Luedeling E, Sileshi G, Beedy T, Dietz J. 2011. Carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry in Africa. In: Kumar BM, Nair PK: Carbon Sequestration Potential of Agroforestry Systems: Opportunities and Challenges. Dordrecht: Springer. p 61-84.
spellingShingle agriculture
climate
carbon sequestration
agroforestry
Luedeling, Eike
Sileshi, Gudeta W.
Beedy, Tracy
Dietz, Johannes
Carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry in Africa
title Carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry in Africa
title_full Carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry in Africa
title_fullStr Carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry in Africa
title_full_unstemmed Carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry in Africa
title_short Carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry in Africa
title_sort carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry in africa
topic agriculture
climate
carbon sequestration
agroforestry
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/41998
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AT sileshigudetaw carbonsequestrationpotentialofagroforestryinafrica
AT beedytracy carbonsequestrationpotentialofagroforestryinafrica
AT dietzjohannes carbonsequestrationpotentialofagroforestryinafrica