Potentials for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Agriculture

Review of research findings, options for mitigation and recommendations for development cooperation

2 | Potentials for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Agriculture

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Revised edition, April 2018 First Edition 2014

Review of research findings, options for mitigation and recommendations | 3

Content Abbreviations and acronyms ................................................................................................................................................. 5

Executive summary ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

1 Background ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

2 GHG emissions in agriculture and land use change ............................... 11 2.1 General overview and main trends ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 2.2 Forestry and other land use .......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 2.2 Livestock production ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 18

Livestock: an important global commodity ............................................................................................................................................ 18

Livestock as contributor to greenhouse gas emissions .......................................................................................................... 20 2.3 Emissions from fertilizer application ................................................................................................................................................ 23

Fertilizer: an essential input to agricultural production ........................................................................................................ 23

Fertilizer as contributor to GHG emissions ............................................................................................................................................. 24 2.4 Rice production ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 25

Rice – the world’s most important staple food crop .................................................................................................................. 25

Paddy rice cultivation as contributor of GHG emissions ...................................................................................................... 25 2.5 Production and utilization of bioenergy ........................................................................................................................................ 26 2.6 Agricultural value chains ................................................................................................................................................................................... 28

Upstream emissions ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 29

Downstream emissions ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 30

Consumption patterns .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31

4 | Potentials for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Agriculture

3 Mitigation of GHGs in agriculture and land use change ........... 33 3.1 General considerations ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 34 3.2 Avoiding emissions from deforestation and restoration of degraded lands ..................................... 37

Restoration of degraded soils ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 3.3 Mitigation from improved livestock management ........................................................................................................... 40 3.4 Mitigation from improved cropland management .......................................................................................................... 41

Sustainable intensification is the key on small scale farms .............................................................................................. 41

Improved rice production ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 44

Less inputs, more sustainable outputs on larger farms .......................................................................................................... 45 3.5 Combined systems .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 46 3.6 Reducing GHGs in agricultural value chains ............................................................................................................................. 48 3.7 Co-benefits of mitigation ................................................................................................................................................................................. 53

Environmental co-benefits: more than carbon .................................................................................................................................. 54

Social and economic benefits ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 56

Improving benefits for women ................................................................................................................................................................................. 56

4 Mitigation policy and economic aspects ................................................................................ 58 4.1 Agricultural mitigation policy issues ................................................................................................................................................. 59 4.2 Economics of agricultural mitigation ................................................................................................................................................ 59

Mitigation finance mechanisms .............................................................................................................................