INFLUENCE OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY ON CARBON

SEQUESTRATION

R. J. Patel1, G. V. Prajapati2, H. Y. Maheta 3, H. D. Rank 4 and S. L. Suryawanshi5

Introduction

Climate change is likely to result in changes to long term climate trends and an
increase in the variability of an already variable climate. The potential impacts of
these climate changes on the agriculture and forestry sectors include increased

1) Assistant Professor, SWE Department, CAET, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh.

2) Assistant Research Scientist, RTTC, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh.
3) Assistant Professor, PGIABM, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh.
4) Associate Professor, SWE Department, CAET, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh.
5) Assistant Professor, ACAET, Beed (MS).
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danger, damage to crops and soils due to flooding, land degradation, crop failure
and livestock heat stress and even death. The potential productivity losses in the
agriculture and forestry sectors as a result of climate change are likely to lead to a
fall in gross regional product, and farm incomes in some regions. Farms in favoured
areas will be in a good position to take advantage of higher output prices.

As a significant contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, it is desirable for

agriculture to play a part in the mitigation effort. Agriculture contributed 16.8 % of
greenhouse gas emissions in 2005, making it the second largest emitting sector
behind stationary energy. This contribution rises to 23 % when the energy and
transport used by the agricultural sector is included (Hatfield-Dodds et al., 2007).

Finally, the land use, land use change and forestry sector has the potential to be a
net sink of greenhouse gases as it was in 2005. Reductions in land clearing and the
planting of new forests are largely responsible. Between 1990 and 2005, emissions
from agriculture, forestry and fishing declined by 41.7%, largely as a result of
reduced forest clearing. Against this decline, direct emissions have increased in all
other sectors, particularly in the electricity, gas and water sector and mining, which
increased by 46.9% and 44.8% respectively (AGO, 2007). In addition, modified farm
management practices (e.g. reduced tillage) can lead to agricultural land being an
important carbon sink. The extent of economic and social impacts of climate change
on the agriculture and forestry sectors will be dependent on the biophysical impacts
resulting from climate change, the design of policy mechanisms to encourage
adaptation and mitigation, and the effective management of the opportunities
presented by climate change.

Greenhouse Gas Overview

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are often called greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse gases consists of the following

1. Water vapor 36-70%

2. Carbon dioxide CO2 9-26%

3. Methane 4-9%

4. Ozone 3-7%

5. Other greenhouse gases include, but are not limited to, nitrous oxide, sulfur
hexafluoride, hydro fluorocarbons, per fluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons.

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Some greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide occur naturally and are emitted to
the atmosphere through natural processes and human activities. Other greenhouse
gases (e.g., fluorinated gases) are created and emitted solely through human
activities. The principal greenhouse gases that enter the atmosphere because of
human activities are:

 Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through the
burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), solid waste, trees and wood
products, and also as a result of other chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture
of cement). Carbon dioxide is also removed from the atmosphere (or
“sequestered”) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon
cycle.

 Methane (CH4): Methane is emitted during the production and transport of

coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from livestock and
other agricultural practices and by the decay of organic waste in municipal
solid waste landfills.

 Nitrous Oxide (N2O): Nitrous oxide is emitted during agricultural and

industrial activities, as well as during combustion of fossil fuels and solid
waste.

 Fluorinated Gases: Hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur

hexafluoride are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a
variety of industrial processes. Fluorinated gases are sometimes used as
substitutes for ozone. These gases are typically emitted in smaller quantities,
but because they are potent greenhouse gases, they are sometimes referred
to as High Global Warming Potential gases.

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The Role of Forestry in Climate Change

Forests and all vegetation play an important role in reducing greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere because trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air.
When a forest is increasing in size it absorbs C02 as part of the process of increasing
its biomass and is referred to as a carbon "sink". Once the forest reaches maturity
the carbon density remains approximately constant. This is called a carbon
"reservoir". When a forest is cleared much of the stored carbon is rapidly converted
to carbon dioxide and the forest is a source of C02.

Maintenance of existing biomass stocks (e.g. forests and forest products) is a key to
avoiding further emissions of greenhouse gases. This includes protection of native
and exotic forests which are both substantial carbon reservoirs. If the area under
these land uses increases, or their condition improves, this can represent a
significant carbon sink.

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Plantation Forests

Plantation forests have increased significantly since 1990 and the role these forests
play in removing carbon has been an important component of climate change
response strategy. During the commitment period 2008-2012, forests planted since
1990 are expected to remove around 130 million tonnes of C02.

Indigenous forest and scrub

Indigenous forest covers approximately four times the area that is under plantation
forest, and contains a significant stock of carbon locked up in trees, understorey,
forest floor and soil. The total area may currently be expanding due to the
abandonment of marginal pastures which are reverting to scrub and which, if
allowed, may eventually develop into high forest.

Methods to maintain and enhance forest sinks

Increasing afforestation

An option to continue to increase C0 2 absorption is to plant new forests. The rate of

carbon accumulation, and the maximum at maturity, will depend on the species, site
and management system used. Depending on the objectives and constraints of each
situation, trees may be planted in farm forestry systems (e.g. shelterbelts) or in
continuous blocks, in a single year or over successive years. Each system will have
different characteristics as a sink and reservoir.

Managing forests to store carbon

There are several ways to increase a forest's carbon sink (the rate at which carbon is
sequestered or absorbed from the air and turned into carbon in a plant) or reservoir
(its capacity to store carbon).

Increasing the rotation age allows the trees more time to grow and increases the
carbon reservoir in the mature forest. A typical stand of radiata pine could be
expected to contain 250tC/ha after 30 years, but could increase its carbon content to
280tC/ha if the rotation was extended to 35 years. Changing the species planted
may increase either the sink or the reservoir, or both. For example, Douglas fir grows
slower than radiata pine and has a longer rotation period, but it contains more

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carbon at the end of the rotation. A change in forest management may also increase
carbon storage potential, for example a regime with no thinning or pruning may
contain more carbon than a more intensive regime.

It is possible to retain a forest as a carbon reservoir and not harvest it. Some species
are more suited to this than others. If the trees are not harvested, the carbon content
will not increase past a given point. However, if they are harvested they may be
turned into wood products, and could thus extend the time before the carbon is
released back to the atmosphere.

Adaptation opportunities available to agriculture and forestry

Some examples of adaptation opportunities available to the agriculture and forestry

sectors include:

 The use of different breeds

 Changes in management practices such as the time and pattern of planting,

watering and the application of fertilizer

 Changed harvesting patterns, rotation periods, improved fire management

through landscape change and prescribed burning

 Improved moisture management by increased on-farm capture and storage,

residue management, weed control and increased water efficiency through
variety choice

 Use of seasonal climate forecasting to aid decision making

 Use of financial management tools to manage risk

 Changes in land use to an industry more appropriate to changed local climate

conditions

Adaptation challenges

Successful adaptation to climate change will require an active, strategic approach

operating at all levels of society. Research and development needs to be undertaken
in a participatory way with stakeholders, recognizing their key concerns and drawing
on their expertise (Howden et al, 2007). Despite the potential benefits of adaptation,
there is often a lack of uptake and adoption of measures on farm. Factors which

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have been identified as affecting the uptake of adaptation opportunities in the

agriculture and forestry sectors include:

 The need for funding and support for research and development into
alternative technologies, improved climate data and monitoring

 The need for cost-benefit analyses of adaptation options

 The need for institutional, financial and policy environments that support
adaptation and manage the transition to new systems

 Availability of information relating to climate change impacts and the benefits

of adaptation

 The need for potentially large upfront investment

 The need for support for community leaders in adaptation and change

 The difficulty for relatively small enterprises to deal with uncertainty and
manage risk.

Government has been identified as having a key role in addressing some of the
above factors, and also in the development and maintenance of key public
infrastructure vulnerable to climate change

Monitoring and verification of emissions and mitigation in respect to

agriculture and forestry

The costs of accurately monitoring and verifying emissions at entity level are likely to
be high relative to the level of emissions. This increases transaction costs which
reduces trade, and in turn reduces efficiency. To reduce the costs of monitoring and
verification, proxies can be developed that use readily observable and measurable
inputs/outputs to the process that can be correlated with the level of emissions.

Potential design options include:

 Developing simple, standardized rules for issuing credits for agricultural and
forestry emissions, such as

 Use an on-farm accounting model such as ‘OVERSEER’ (developed by the

New Zealand Government) or ‘FullCAM’ (developed by the Australian
Greenhouse Office). However, research has suggested that models such as
these can be complex, technically demanding, time consuming and do not

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produce results accurate enough for trading purposes (Allen Consulting

Group, 2006).

 Define a benchmark based on regional and sectoral ‘best-practice’ emissions

intensity levels, which would be revised and updated as technology improved
(Kerr, 2007).

 For forestry, use a mixture of satellite imagery and self-reporting to initially

quantify the area of planting or clearing. Planted areas could then be
monitored to determine age/species and multiplied by a standard carbon
stock value.

Win-Win or No-Regrets Strategy

The soil and the producer benefit by increasing soil organic carbon through..

 Improved soil tilth

 Improved water holding capacity

 Improved drainage

 Reduced soil erosion

 Improved water and air quality

 Long-term sustainability of production.

 Society benefits through…

 Reduced levels of atmospheric carbon

 Reduced soil erosion

 Improved water and air quality

 Increased food security

International Sequestration Opportunities in Forestry and Agriculture

Approximately 20% of the world's annual carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions result from
land-use change, primarily deforestation in the tropical regions of Central and South
America, Africa, and Asia. These lands are shifting from relatively high-carbon stock
natural forests to generally lower-carbon stock crop, agroforestry, grazing, or fuel
wood lands and urban areas. While this transformation by land clearing, forest
harvest, and fire provides short-term economic benefits and rural livelihood, it is also

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a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and other social and environmental
problems.

REFERENCES

AGO (Australian Greenhouse Office) 2007. National Inventory by Economic Sector

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Allen Consulting Group 2006. Emissions Trading and the Land: issues and
implications for Australian agriculture, April 2006. Report to the National Farmers’
Federation www.nff.org.au/read/2428457177.html.

Hatfield-Dodds, S, Carwardine, J, Dunlop, M, Graham, P and Klein, C 2007. Rural

Australia Providing climate Solutions. Preliminary report to the Australian Agricultural
Alliance on Climate Change. CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra.

Howden, SM, Crimp, S, Nelson, R and Ash, A 2007. Climate Change: the adaptation
challenge for agriculture. Paper prepared for the Garnaut Climate Change Review
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IPCC Special Report on Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage Celik, F., E.D. Larson,
and R.H. Williams, 2005: Transportation Fuel from Coal with Low CO2 Emissions.

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System: A New Zealand perspective. presentation at the Garnaut Climate Change
Review public forum, ‘Climate Change: Land management, agriculture and forestry’,
17 August 2007.

Lal, R. et al. (1999) The Potential of U.S. Cropland to Sequester Carbon and Mitigate
the Greenhouse Effect. Lewis Publishers.

West, T.O. and W.M. Post (2002) Soil Carbon Sequestration by Tillage and Crop
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