• Authors:
    • Perluss, P.
    • Drouvot, H.
    • Drouvot, C.
  • Source: International Journal of Sustainable Development
  • Volume: 17
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: With the objective to offer contributions to resolve ecological, social and economic problems in Amazonia, Brazil's sustainable production of palm oil legislation has the specific goal of mobilising public administrations, private business, social aid agencies and family farmers with the following overall objectives: create employment and increase income by means of palm cultivation; reforest degraded lands in the Amazon (Margulis, 2004); contribute to carbon storage with the goal of reducing greenhouse gases; and induce family farmers to participate in the programme and thus favour their social inclusion. The study is based on information from documentary research undertaken to identify and a series of regionally-based interviews. Our research reveals that the national programme has mobilised a range of stakeholders (governments, firms, universities and NGOs) and small farmers' associations.
  • Authors:
    • Sanabria, C.
    • Rodriguez, E.
    • Xiomara Pullido, S.
    • Loaiza, S.
    • del Pilar Hurtado, M.
    • Gutierrez, A.
    • Gomez, Y.
    • Chaparro, P.
    • Botero, C.
    • Bernal, J.
    • Arguello, O.
    • Rodriguez, N.
    • Lavelle, P.
    • Velasquez, E.
    • Fonte, S.
  • Source: Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
  • Volume: 185
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: In the Orinoco River Basin of eastern Colombia large scale and rapid conversion of natural savannas into commercial agriculture exists as a critical threat for the ecological integrity of this fragile region. The highly acidic and compacted soils inherent to this region require thorough physical and chemical conditioning in order for intensive cropping systems to be established. Assessing the impact of this dramatic soil perturbation on biodiversity, ecosystem services and other elements of the natural capital is an urgent task for designing sustainable management options in the region. To address this need, we evaluated soil macro invertebrate communities and soil-based ecosystem services (climate regulation, hydrologic functions, soil stability provided by macro aggregation and nutrient provision potential) in four major production systems: improved pastures, annual crops (rice, corn and soy bean), oil palm and rubber plantations, and compared them to the original savanna. Fifteen plots of each system were sampled along a 200 km natural gradient of soil and climatic conditions. In each plot, we assessed climate regulation by measuring green house gas emissions (N2O, CH4 and CO2) and C storage in aboveground plant biomass and soil (0-20 cm). Soil biodiversity (macro invertebrate communities) and three other soil-based ecosystem services, were assessed using sets of 12-20 relevant variables associated with each service and synthesized via multivariate analyses into a single indicator for each ecosystem function, adjusted in a range of 0.1-1.0. Savannas yielded intermediate values for most indicators, while each production system appeared to improve at least one ecosystem service. For example, nutrient provision (chemical fertility) was highest in annual cropping systems (0.78 +/- 0.03) due to relatively high concentrations of Ca, Mg, N, K, and available P and low Al saturation. Hydrological functions and climate regulation (C storage and GHG emissions) were generally improved by perennial crops (oil palm and rubber), while indicators for macro invertebrate biodiversity and activity (0.73 +/- 0.05) and soil macro aggregation (0.76 +/- 0.02) were highest within improved pastures. High variability within each system indicates the potential to make improvements in fields with lowest indicator values, while differences among systems suggest the potential to mitigate negative impacts by combining plots with contrasted functions in a strategically designed landscape mosaic. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
  • Authors:
    • El-Sharkawy, M.
  • Source: Photosynthetica
  • Volume: 52
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: Earth's climate has experienced notable changes during the past 50-70 years when global surface temperature has risen by 0.8°C during the 20th century. This was a consequence of the rise in the concentration of biogenic gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and ozone) in the atmosphere that contribute, along with water vapor, to the so-called 'greenhouse effect'. Most of the emissions of greenhouse gases have been, and still are, the product of human activities, namely, the excessive use of fossil energy, deforestations in the humid tropics with associated poor land use-management, and wide-scale degradation of soils under crop cultivation and animal/pasture ecosystems. General Circulation Models predict that atmospheric CO 2 concentration will probably reach 700 mol(CO 2) mol -1. This can result in rise of Earth's temperature from 1.5 to over 5°C by the end of this century. This may instigate 0.60-1.0 m rise in sea level, with impacts on coastal lowlands across continents. Crop modeling predicts significant changes in agricultural ecosystems. The mid- and high-latitude regions might reap the benefits of warming and CO 2 fertilization effects via increasing total production and yield of C 3 plants coupled with greater water-use efficiencies. The tropical/subtropical regions will probably suffer the worst impacts of global climate changes. These impacts include wide-scale socioeconomic changes, such as degradation and losses of natural resources, low agricultural production, and lower crop yields, increased risks of hunger, and above all waves of human migration and dislocation. Due to inherent cassava tolerance to heat, water stress, and poor soils, this crop is highly adaptable to warming climate. Such a trait should enhance its role in food security in the tropics and subtropics.
  • Authors:
    • Aiyelari, E. A.
    • Oku, E. E.
  • Source: Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development
  • Volume: 108
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: Use of vetiver as a green technology can address African farmers' ecological problems through protecting farmlands on steep lands. In addition, it offers the opportunity to integrate smallholders into the green economy as it sequesters carbon, keep water and nutrient fluxes within the system, sustain high crop yield with climate change adaptation potentials. This is particularly important as more slopes are converted to agricultural lands due to increase in population density and poverty. Thus, the study investigated the optimal strip width for increases in soil productivity and farmers' preferences for space. The study planted maize and cassava in between vetiver field structures (VFS) installed on the contour at 5, 15, 25 m apart and compared it with Farmers' Practice (FP) on a 45% slope and quantified the amount of soil displaced, water and plant nutrient losses and crop yields. Vetiver installed at 5 m surface interval spacing significantly enhanced carbon sequestration indicating potentials for GHGs mitigation and reduced N, P, Ca, Mg, Na and K losses when compared with FP. Vetiver allowed only 7% rainfall lost as against 29% on FP this demonstrates the climate change adaptation potentials of vetiver. Soil displaced under FP was 68 times higher than the soil loss tolerance limit of 12 t ha -1 yr -1 whereas under VFS at 5, 15 and 25 m it was 21/2, 13 and 12 times higher. Maize grain yield were 35, 23 and 24% higher on the VFS field at 5, 15 and 25 m respectively when compared to FP. The corresponding values for cassava fresh tuber were 43, 32 and 29% higher. Unlike other technologies, vetiver grass contributes to the livelihood of the farmers by providing raw material for house thatching, handicrafts and fodder for livestock during lean seasons.
  • Authors:
    • Husnain,H.
    • Wigena,I. G. P.
    • Dariah,A.
    • Marwanto,S.
    • Setyanto,P.
    • Agus,F.
  • Source: Mitigation and Adaption Strategies for Global Change
  • Volume: 19
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: With the increasing use of tropical peatland for agricultural development, documentation of the rate of carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions is becoming important for national greenhouse gas inventories. The objective of this study was to evaluate soil-surface CO 2 fluxes from drained peat under different land-use systems in Riau and Jambi Provinces, Sumatra, Indonesia. Increase of CO 2 concentration was tracked in measurement chambers using an Infrared Gas Analyzer (IRGA, LI-COR 820 model). The results showed that CO 2 flux under oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis) plantations ranged from 3416 and 4525 Mg CO 2 ha -1 year -1 in two locations in Jambi province to 6625 Mg CO 2 ha -1 year -1 for a site in Riau. For adjacent plots within 3.2 km in the Kampar Peninsula, Riau, CO2 fluxes from an oil palm plantation, an Acacia plantation, a secondary forest and a rubber plantation were 6625, 5919, 6125, 5217 Mg ha -1 year -1, respectively, while on bare land sites it was between 5630 and 6724 Mg CO 2 ha -1 year -1, indicating no significant differences among the different land-use systems in the same landscape. Unexplained site variation seems to dominate over land use in influencing CO 2 flux. CO 2 fluxes varied with time of day ( p<0.001) with the noon flux as the highest, suggesting an overestimate of the mean flux values with the absence of night-time measurements. In general, CO 2 flux increased with the depth of water table, suggesting the importance of keeping the peat as wet as possible.
  • Authors:
    • Diels, J.
    • Vandorpe, A.
    • Nebiyu, A.
    • Boeckx, P.
  • Source: Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
  • Volume: 98
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: Faba bean-wheat rotation is one of the traditional cropping systems in most parts of the temperate, Mediterranean and tropical highland areas. However, the net contribution of legumes to soil nutrient balance is determined by the extent to which crop residue is removed from the field. Therefore, we assessed two possible faba bean residue management scenarios and their role in the faba bean-wheat rotation system in a two-phase field experiment. We further tested to what extent high N-2-fixing and P efficient faba bean varieties could benefit subsequently grown wheat. In the first phase, three improved faba bean varieties (Degaga, Moti, Obse) were grown at four levels of P fertilization (0, 10, 20 and 30 kg P ha(-1)) along with local faba bean and reference wheat but without any fertilization. N-2-fixation, soil N balance and P uptake were determined for the faba beans. The N balance was determined via two possible residue management scenarios: scenario-I assumed that all the aboveground biomass is exported from the fields; scenario-II assumed that all the above ground biomass except grains and empty pods is incorporated to the soil. In the second phase, the N and P benefits of faba beans to rotational wheat were assessed. Scenario-I gave a negative net N balance (kg N ha(-1)) in the range of -86.5 +/- A 5.8 (Degaga) to -9.4 +/- A 8.7 (Moti) with significant differences between varieties. Scenario-II showed that all balances were significantly (P < 0.01) improved and the varieties were positively contributing N to the system in the range of 50.6 +/- A 13.4 (Degaga) to 168.3 +/- A 13.7 (Moti) kg N ha(-1), which is equivalent to 110-365 kg N ha(-1) in the form of urea (46 % N). In the second crop phase, biomass and grain yield of wheat grown after the faba beans improved significantly (P < 0.05) by 112 and 82 %, respectively compared to the yield of wheat after wheat. Phosphorus application to the preceding faba bean varieties significantly improved total biomass and grain yield of the succeeding wheat (R-2 = 0.97). The incorporated legume root, nodule and straw clearly played a role in improving wheat yield through N addition via BNF and straw P. The study demonstrates the prospects and importance of improved faba bean germplasm and management as a key component for sustainable wheat based cropping systems in the humid tropical highlands.
  • Authors:
    • Putri,E. A.
    • Koido,K.
    • Dowaki,K.
  • Source: Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment in the Agri-Food Sector
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: Climate change is mainly linked to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in which the agricultural sector occupies 14% of total emissions. In this paper, the questionnaires were implemented to investigate the effects of green bean quality including eco-burden factor and price on consumer buying decision. Also, on the estimation of eco-burden, LCA methodology was considered, and the carbon footprint of green bean in the supply chain process in Indonesia was expressed. The results showed that the total emissions (CFP) of green bean were between 4.92 and 7.38 kg-CO 2eq/kg green bean by varying farmers, and they became larger than that of Japan case (1.11 kg-CO 2eq/kg green bean). In addition, through our questionnaires on basis of the quality and price of green bean, we confirmed that the factor of quality is more significant for consumer buying decision.
  • Authors:
    • Cerri, C. E. P.
    • Soares-Filho, B.
    • Galford, G. L.
  • Source: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences
  • Volume: 368
  • Issue: 1619
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: The Brazilian Amazon frontier shows how remarkable leadership can work towards increased agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability without new greenhouse gas emissions. This is due to initiatives among various stakeholders, including national and state government and agents, farmers, consumers, funding agencies and non-governmental organizations. Change has come both from bottom-up and top-down actions of these stakeholders, providing leadership, financing and monitoring to foster environmental sustainability and agricultural growth. Goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from land-cover and land-use change in Brazil are being achieved through a multi-tiered approach that includes policies to reduce deforestation and initiatives for forest restoration, as well as increased and diversified agricultural production, intensified ranching and innovations in agricultural management. Here, we address opportunities for the Brazilian Amazon in working towards low-carbon rural development and environmentally sustainable landscapes.
  • Authors:
    • Annandale, J. G.
    • Van Asten,P. J. A.
    • Uzayisenga, B.
    • Swennen, R.
    • Blomme, G.
    • Vanlauwe, B.
    • Ndabamenye, T.
    • Barnard, R. O.
  • Source: Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
  • Volume: 95
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: The productivity of East African highland (EAH) banana cropping systems is declining, particularly in areas with low inherent soil fertility. Soil fertility management requires knowledge of nutrient flows at the interface between the soil surface and the soil system. The magnitude of soil fertility dynamics and nutrient depletion was studied for a short-term banana plant density trial in three contrasting agro-ecological sites of Rwanda (Kibungo low rainfall with medium soil fertility, Rubona high rainfall with low soil fertility and Ruhengeri high rainfall with high soil fertility) using nutrient stock and partial nutrient balance calculations. Plant density did not influence significantly nutrient mass fractions in plant parts (fruit, leaves and pseudostems) but nutrients contained through shredded leaves and pseudostems and those removed through bunch dry matter increased with plant density. Plant density responses to variation in soil fertility and partial nutrient balances seemed to depend on diversity in climate and soil type. Partial N and K balances (kg ha(-1) year(-1)) were estimated to be strongly negative at Rubona and Ruhengeri while Ca and Mg were positive at Kibungo and Ruhengeri but negative at Rubona. This study showed that partial nutrient balances associated with soil nutrient stocks can provide the first order of magnitude of nutrient depletion in low input EAH banana cropping systems. This brings attention from agricultural researchers and farmers to develop options that can improve the productivity of these systems, where resource availability for improved nutrient management is scarce.
  • Authors:
    • Say, E.
    • Astorga, C.
    • Poveda, V.
    • Alvarado, E.
    • Avila, G.
    • Mavisoy, H.
    • Espin, T.
    • Davila, H.
    • Cifuentes, M.
    • Orozco, L.
    • Cerda, R.
    • Somarriba, E.
    • Deheuvels, O.
  • Source: Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment
  • Volume: 173
  • Year: 2013
  • Summary: The cocoa tree ( Theobroma cacao L.) is cultivated typically in agroforestry systems in close association with a rich list of tree species and other useful plants on the same plot. Cocoa based agroforestry systems are credited for stocking significant amounts of carbon and hence have the potential to mitigate climate change. Since cocoa yields decrease non-linearly with increasing shade, a need is to design optimal cocoa agroforestry systems with high yields and high carbon stocks. We estimated the carbon stocked in a network of 229 permanent sample plots in cacao-based agroforestry systems and natural forests in five Central American countries. Carbon stocks were fractioned by both system compartments (aboveground, roots, soil, litter, dead wood - fine and coarse, and total) and tree use/form (cocoa, timber, fruit, bananas, shade and ornamentals, and palms). Cocoa plantations were assigned to a five-class typology and tested for independence with growing region using contingency analysis. Most Central American cocoa plantations had mixed or productive shade canopies. Only 4% of cocoa plantations were full sun or rustic (cocoa under thinned natural forest). Cocoa tree density was low (548192 trees ha -1). Total carbon (soil+biomass+dead biomass) was 11747 Mg ha -1, with 51 Mg ha -1 in the soil and 49 Mg ha -1 (42% of total carbon) in aboveground biomass (cocoa and canopy trees). Cocoa trees accumulated 9 Mg C ha -1 (18% of carbon in aboveground biomass). Timber and fruit trees stored 65% of aboveground carbon. The annual rate of accumulation of carbon in aboveground biomass ranged between 1.3 and 2.6 Mg C ha -1 y -1. Trade-offs between carbon levels and yields were explored qualitatively using functional relationships documented in the scientific and technical literature, and expert knowledge. We argue that it is possible to design cocoa-based AFS with good yields (cocoa and shade canopy) and high carbon stock levels. The botanical composition of the shade canopy provides a large set of morphological and functional traits that can be used to optimize shade canopy design. Our results offer Central American cocoa producers a rigorous estimate of carbon stocks in their cocoa plantations. This knowledge may help them to certify and sell their cocoa, timber, fruits and other goods to niche markets with good prices. Our results will also assist governments and the private sector in (i) designing better legal, institutional and policy frameworks, local and national, promoting an agriculture with trees and (ii) contributing to the development of the national monitoring, reporting and verification systems required by the international community to access funding and payment for ecosystem services.