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The soil stores more amount of carbon than in the atmosphere and all plant biomass due to the biological activity of soil organisms. While soil needs carbon as a source of nutrients for plant growth through mineralization, the excess carbon is also responsible for climate change. The unpredictable climate patterns in turn decrease soil moisture, put intense pressure on irrigation, and worsen the water shortage crisis.
However, if we flip the coin, soil as a ‘carbon sink’ also holds immense potential to neutralize the adverse effects (greenhouse emissions) of agriculture on the planet and optimize the carbon balance in the ecosystem. New research highlights that using better farming techniques to store 1% more carbon in about 50% of the world’s agricultural soils would be enough to absorb about 31 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide a year and keep the world within 1.5C of global heating.
Carbon farming is one such set of regenerative agriculture techniques. Carbon farming, also known as biosequestration, can minimize soil erosion, enhance soil fertility, and prevent nutrient run-off.
Here is a list of various carbon farming techniques:
Conservation Tillage
The conventional tillage which is frequent and heavy destroys the soil cover and its structure. Conservation tillage such as reduced or no tillage preserves carbon and organic matter in the soil. It then further facilitates moisture and nutrient penetration into the soil.
Cover Cropping
This practice of growing crops such as cereals, legumes, or forage grasses in the off-seasons instead of leaving the land bare can also help in carbon sequestration. Cover crops are also a rich source of organic matter because they decompose easily into the soil and prevent erosion.
Organic Mulching
Organic mulching refers to the practice of covering the soil with organic matter such as compost, hay, leaves, straws, wood shavings, manure, or any other crop residues that decompose naturally. It improves the carbon concentration in the soil by stopping the exchange of soil air with surface air.
Companion Planting
Crops and companion plants are sowed closed together under this technique. Tomato and basil are a good combination of symbiotic planting. Apart from their natural pest-repelling properties, companion plants can increase the effectiveness of soil for carbon absorption.
Precision Farming
Precision farming uses artificial intelligence, remote sensing, soil sensors, satellite positioning, and other advanced technologies to optimize agricultural yield with minimum wastage in a sustainable manner. It results in significant improvement in the soil structure, increases the organic matter, and retention of the organic carbon in the soil. Precision farming also boosts the carbon flow from the atmosphere to the soil.
Agroforestry
Agroforestry creates a small forest-like ecosystem where crops, trees, and animals can co-exist. This involves the preservation of existing trees, planting new trees at field boundaries, and integrating them with farmlands. It offsets the carbon loss from deforestation and forest degradation. Such an ecosystem also has a high potential for carbon sequestration in both trees and soil, amplifying climate mitigation efforts.
Wetland Conservation and Restoration
Peatlands cover only 3% of the earth’s surface but lock 30% of all land-based carbon — twice as much as carbon as all the world’s forests combined. Coastal wetlands also sequester carbon up to 55 times faster than tropical rainforests. However, the degradation of wetlands is a major concern. Wetland conservation and restoration, especially in degraded agricultural lands can correct the carbon cycle.
Grazing Rotation
Rotational grazing allows the livestock to roam freely to new pastures and avoid overgrazing on a particular patch of land. This gives the crops more time to absorb the animal manure and restock nutrients and soil carbon.
Integrated Nutrient Management
Chemical fertilizers not only degrade the soil but also increase carbon dioxide emissions and nitrogen in the soil. Integrated Nutrient Management (IPM) minimizes the use of chemical fertilizers and encourages the use of organic fertilizers. It also enables farmers to spray fertilizers on targeted areas instead of blanket spraying. As a result, soil fertility improves naturally and it has a better capability to capture carbon.
Conclusion
Carbon farming is the way ahead to reducing carbon footprint from agriculture and boosting soil health. However, it can yield desired results only if farmers understand its benefits and are ready to adopt it on their farmlands. Moreover, carbon farming practices may need to be customized according to the agricultural regions’ climate and soil type. A collaborative effort between farmers, agtech partners, policymakers, and environmentalists can amp up carbon farming efforts.
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