What is carbon sequestration and carbon credits and how can farmers implement regenerative agriculture practices to promote soil health and carbon sequestration?
Respected Sir, Rk Naresh
Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere to mitigate climate change. This can be achieved through various methods, including afforestation, reforestation, soil carbon sequestration, and carbon capture and storage technologies.
Carbon credits are tradable permits that represent the reduction or removal of greenhouse gas emissions, typically measured in metric tons of CO2 equivalent. They can be bought and sold on carbon markets to offset emissions from activities such as energy production, transportation, and agriculture.
Farmers can implement regenerative agriculture practices to promote soil health and carbon sequestration in several ways:
· No-Till Farming: Minimizing soil disturbance by avoiding tillage helps preserve soil structure and organic matter, reducing carbon loss through erosion and decomposition.
· Cover Cropping: Planting cover crops during fallow periods provides living roots in the soil year-round, which enhances soil organic matter and microbial activity, leading to increased carbon sequestration.
· Crop Rotation: Rotating crops diversifies root systems and improves soil health, contributing to greater carbon storage in the soil.
· Agroforestry: Introducing trees and woody perennials into agricultural landscapes enhances carbon sequestration in both aboveground biomass and soil organic matter.
· Compost and Organic Amendments: Applying compost and other organic amendments increases soil fertility and carbon content, promoting carbon sequestration and improving soil structure.
· Managed Grazing: Rotational grazing practices optimize forage utilization and promote plant growth, which can enhance carbon sequestration in grassland soils.
By adopting these regenerative agriculture practices, farmers can improve soil health, increase agricultural productivity, and contribute to climate change mitigation by sequestering carbon in the soil. Additionally, they may be eligible to generate carbon credits through verified carbon offset projects, providing an additional source of income while promoting sustainable land management practices.
Carbon sequestration – the practice of removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it is one of the many approaches being taken to tackle climate change. Carbon credits are a transparent, measurable and results-based way for companies to support activities, such as protecting and restoring irrecoverable natural carbon sinks, like forests or marine ecosystems and scaling nascent carbon removal technology that keep global climate goals within reach. Regenerative agriculture practices can sequester carbon in soil at a rate of 0.4 to 1.2 tonnes per hectare per year. This represents a significant opportunity to mitigate GHG emissions and combat climate change.Agroforestry, when properly practiced, offers several benefits. The carbon sequestration rate is at least five times higher than the per-hectare rates of enhanced annual cropping practices without trees. It allows farmers to produce more food on the available land and derive an additional income. Soil is not only crucial for food production but also helps to mitigate effects of climate change. Soil regenerative agriculture is a set of farming practices that focus on building healthy soils, promoting biodiversity, and enhancing ecosystem services. The pathway options were the following: 1) increasing photosynthesis during crop growth; 2) lengthening photosynthesis period (winter sown crops, leys and cover crops); 3) improving soil biological activity; 4) improving soil structure and rooting depth; and 5) managing organic soils for carbon storage.Farmers can implement regenerative agriculture practices to promote soil health and carbon sequestration in several ways: No-Till Farming: Minimizing soil disturbance by avoiding tillage helps preserve soil structure and organic matter, reducing carbon loss through erosion and decomposition. Regenerative agriculture is a systems approach to farming that builds soil health by supporting biodiversity above and below ground to return carbon and nutrients back to the soil. Biodiversity is the primary driver of soil carbon sequestration and many more farm and ecosystem benefits. Carbon credits, also known as carbon offsets, are permits that allow the owner to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. One credit permits the emission of one ton of carbon dioxide or the equivalent in other greenhouse gases.
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