Farming Carbon

Soil Carbon SequestrationBy Thea Hassan

Carbon Sequestration

• Carbon capture and storage

• Where to store it?

• Expensive to capture the carbon

Global Carbon Sinks

38000

5000

2500

760 560

Oceanic

Geologic

Pedologic

Atmosperhic

Biotic

Measurements in petagrams= 1 billion ton

Pedologic Sink

• Composed of soil inorganic carbon and soil organic carbon (SOC)

• SOC vital for plant processes

• ‘‘soil organic matter is one of our most important national resources; its unwise exploitation has been devastating; and it must be given its proper rank in any conservation policy.’’ –Albrecht, 1938

SOC Depletion

• Biomass burning• Tropical Deforestation• Agricultural Activities• Drainage of Wetlands• Plowing

Soil Organic Carbon

• Historically, loss of ~55-78 Gt of Carbon• Varies depending on:

– Climate– Vegetation Cover– Land Use– Nature of Parent Materials

SOC Restoration

• Restore the depleted sink• Recommended Management Practices:

– Afforestation– Conversion– Conservation Agriculture– Crop Rotations– Integrated Nutrient ManagementReduce energy needs by 10%-40%

Benefits of SOC Restoration

• Climate Change Mitigation

• Increased Agronomic Activity

• Cost Effective and Natural

• Decrease Effects of Nutrient Run Off

Potential Costs

• Hidden Carbon Costs– Irrigation– Fertilizer Use

• Stability of Carbon

• Resource Poor Farmers

Summary

• Natural sequestration to capture carbon

• Storage benefits the land

• Carbon credits exchange

Thank You!

• Questions?