Biocarbon projects in agroforestry: lessons from the past for future development

Biocarbon projects can connect climate finance to smallholder farmers and can provide considerable benefits to improved productivity, land health and income, market access, institutional stability and, ultimately, food security and reduced poverty for asset-poor rural communities. While most biocarb...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Foster K, Neufeldt, Henry
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Elsevier 2014
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/52149
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author Foster K
Neufeldt, Henry
author_browse Foster K
Neufeldt, Henry
author_facet Foster K
Neufeldt, Henry
author_sort Foster K
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Biocarbon projects can connect climate finance to smallholder farmers and can provide considerable benefits to improved productivity, land health and income, market access, institutional stability and, ultimately, food security and reduced poverty for asset-poor rural communities. While most biocarbon projects focus on forested land or tree plantations, this paper explores the potential for connecting agroforestry approaches with carbon benefits. Drawing on experiences in Africa, we identify the major challenges and opportunities for developing and rolling out biocarbon projects in agroforestry systems. We highlight the need for external, up-front funding to overcome high project establishment costs and the need for innovative solutions to minimize trade-offs between livelihood and environmental goals. We contend that resource constraints, flexibility, technical capacity, tenure and institutional frameworks must be addressed for smallholders to invest in and benefit from carbon projects. Lastly, we argue that projects should emphasize non-carbon benefits, using carbon revenue as a tool to help farmers transition to more sustainable and productive practices on their land.
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spelling CGSpace521492024-08-27T10:35:52Z Biocarbon projects in agroforestry: lessons from the past for future development Foster K Neufeldt, Henry climate agriculture carbon smallholders agroforestry Biocarbon projects can connect climate finance to smallholder farmers and can provide considerable benefits to improved productivity, land health and income, market access, institutional stability and, ultimately, food security and reduced poverty for asset-poor rural communities. While most biocarbon projects focus on forested land or tree plantations, this paper explores the potential for connecting agroforestry approaches with carbon benefits. Drawing on experiences in Africa, we identify the major challenges and opportunities for developing and rolling out biocarbon projects in agroforestry systems. We highlight the need for external, up-front funding to overcome high project establishment costs and the need for innovative solutions to minimize trade-offs between livelihood and environmental goals. We contend that resource constraints, flexibility, technical capacity, tenure and institutional frameworks must be addressed for smallholders to invest in and benefit from carbon projects. Lastly, we argue that projects should emphasize non-carbon benefits, using carbon revenue as a tool to help farmers transition to more sustainable and productive practices on their land. 2014-02 2014-12-16T06:37:36Z 2014-12-16T06:37:36Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/52149 en Open Access Elsevier Foster K, Neufeldt H. 2014. Biocarbon projects in agroforestry: lessons from the past for future development. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 6:148-154
spellingShingle climate
agriculture
carbon
smallholders
agroforestry
Foster K
Neufeldt, Henry
Biocarbon projects in agroforestry: lessons from the past for future development
title Biocarbon projects in agroforestry: lessons from the past for future development
title_full Biocarbon projects in agroforestry: lessons from the past for future development
title_fullStr Biocarbon projects in agroforestry: lessons from the past for future development
title_full_unstemmed Biocarbon projects in agroforestry: lessons from the past for future development
title_short Biocarbon projects in agroforestry: lessons from the past for future development
title_sort biocarbon projects in agroforestry lessons from the past for future development
topic climate
agriculture
carbon
smallholders
agroforestry
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/52149
work_keys_str_mv AT fosterk biocarbonprojectsinagroforestrylessonsfromthepastforfuturedevelopment
AT neufeldthenry biocarbonprojectsinagroforestrylessonsfromthepastforfuturedevelopment