No effect of cropping system on the greenhouse gas N2O

Organic farming is comparable to conventional in terms of field emissions of the strong greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). Our study points to the need for increased yields in organic farming as measure to reduced emissions per unit of produce

High Root Biomass FOR cereal crops increases carbon sequestration in organic Arable systems

In agroecosystems, soil organic carbon (C) inputs come from applied manures, plant roots and retained shoot residues. Several reasons, associated with root measurements, limit current knowledge on root C input.This study aimed at evaluating root responses to nutrient management and fertility building measures (e.g. catch crops). We made use of one inorganic fertilizer-based and two organic systems in an 11-year-old field experiment on sandy loam soil. At anthesis, soil cores (5 cm dia.) were sampled from 0-30 cm depth within and between rows of winter wheat and spring barley. Roots were separated from soil and washed with tap water, the dry matter (DM) biomass was determined. Dry matter biomass was also measured in shoots.The spring barley root DM was at least 30% higher in the organic compared to the inorganic fertilizer-based system. The organic system that included catch crops had 17% higher spring barley root DM than where catch crops were absent. In the inorganic fertilizer-based system, the biomass shoot-to-root ratio for spring barley was double that in the comparable organic system. High root DM biomass in organic compared to the inorganic fertilizer-based systems, implies higher C sequestration in the former, especially considering the slow decomposition rate of root residues

Results on life cycle assessments to determine impacts of agronomic management choices in the Cauca and Honduras CSV

The intense management of the crops, that characterizes current agricultural cropping systems, has resulted in increased concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). In this study, we used the field-scale agricultural assessment model - Cool Farm Tool (CFT), to model GHG emissions and uptake estimates (Hillier et al., 2011). This tool combines different algorithms that integrate climate, soil and crop data and presents outputs on carbon footprints in a format that is accessible to non-experts. Furthermore, the CFT provides the possibility to compare GHG emissions and uptake estimates from different production sites and systems. Finally, the tool CFT enables crop producers and stakeholders to take a more informed and holistic approach to environmental sustainability in the agricultural sector

Ingen effekt af dyrkningssystem på drivhusgassen N2O

Økologisk jordbrug er sammenligneligt med det konventionelle, når det gælder udledning af den stærke drivhusgas lattergas (N2O) fra dyrkningsjorden. Vores undersøgelse viser, at økologisk jordbrug bør tilstræbe højere høstudbytter som et middel til at reducere N2O-udledningen per produceret enhed

Effects of organic matter input on soil microbial properties and crop yields in conventional and organic cropping systems

Unlike conventional cropping systems, which are characterised by targeted short-term fertility management, organic farming systems depend on long-term increase in soil fertility and promotion of soil biodiversity. This study sought to investigate long-term effects of organic matter inputs on various cropping systems in a 10-year-old experiment. Results show that in the long-term high C and N inputs enhance microbial activity. Microbial biomass N and the potential nitrification rate were higher in cropping systems based on green manure than in those reliant on inputs from animal manure and mineral fertilizer. Soil microbiological properties were affected by the individual crops in the rotation. The high microbial activity with increased organic matter inputs did not transform to enhanced crop productivity

How might the gender roles affect the implementation of a new water-saving technique for Colombian rice production? : Report of gender dimensions in Colombian rice production

Globally, rice cultivation is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions released by agricultural activities. To sustainably reduce the contribution of rice to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is important to pursue management and technological options that reduce emissions and improve farmer productivity, adaptation and resilience to climate change impacts. Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) is a water-saving technique that helps farmers adapt to less water availability. It reduces the amount of in-field gas emissions associated with rice production, and it may increase and/or maintain rice productivity levels. The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and partners are conducting several studies to evaluate the feasibility of implementing this technology in Colombia, a country that has committed to reducing economy-wide GHG emissions by 20% under the 2015 Paris Agreement and implementing adaptation plans by 2030. The sustainable implementation of AWD requires an understanding of the economic, climatic, political, agronomic and social considerations within which farmers operate. The literature shows how gender roles can influence the adoption of a technology or be affected by the introduction of a new technology. A baseline study was designed to answer the following questions: how might gender impact the adoption of AWD in Colombia? And how will the adoption of AWD affect the gender division of labor? A household survey with sex-disaggregated information in 609 households in five departments was conducted. The results suggest that women own rice assets and make decisions about production but are not recognized as rice producers. They do not receive agricultural information and do not have group membership in the same proportion as men do. Furthermore, households in which women participate as producers are more likely to have noneconomic incentives and water availability (i.e. no problems with water scarcity) to implement AWD. Women participate in manual weed control as hired labor and men participate more in irrigation, and both activities can be affected by the implementation of AWD. For AWD to be widely implemented in Colombia, it is important to target women as well as men and create awareness of the possible social effects of the technology in gendered labor activities, and therefore in the lives of both women and men

Gender [im]balance in productive and reproductive labor among livestock producers in Colombia: Implications for climate change responses

Roles and responsibilities in livestock production and household maintenance are segregated along gender lines. Men’s and women’s participation in the livestock sector varies by tasks. Women combine livestock production, particularly, milk processing activities with the responsibility of household and care work. Men’s and women’s indirect contribution with regard to maintenance of the household and care provision to family members is also crucial for healthy and smooth functioning of livestock productive activities and therefore, must be accounted for in policy decisions, including those related to changing climate. As a response to climate change induced drought, men, and particularly women, are investing their labor in alternative sources of income to pay for water provision services to meet the water demands of their animals. For women who already face the double burden of productive and reproductive work, this coping mechanism may deepen their time poverty

Limits of agricultural greenhouse gas calculators to predict soil N2O and CH4 fluxes in tropical agriculture

Acknowledgements This work was undertaken as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), which is a strategic partnership of CGIAR and Future Earth. This research was carried out with funding by the European Union (EU) and with technical support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The UN FAO Mitigation of Climate Change in Agriculture (MICCA) Programme funded data collection in Kenya and Tanzania. The views expressed in the document cannot be taken to reflect the official opinions of CGIAR, Future Earth, or donors. We thank Louis Bockel of the UN FAO Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA) for his comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD