Resilience and Economic Growth in Arid Lands - Accelerated Growth in Kenya: Mitigation co-benefits of herd size and feed quality management

The agricultural development project Resilience and Economic Growth in Arid Lands – Accelerated Growth (REGAL-AG) has promoted improved livestock management that resulted in a decrease in net emissions of 10%. Since emissions from livestock account for the majority of Kenya’s agricultural emissions (95%), reduction of emissions in the livestock sector has high potential impact. REGAL-AG’s interventions have sought to improve links between livestock producers and buyers, to boost producer access to critical inputs, and to increase availability of timely market information, which resulted in a decrease in slaughter age for all livestock types. REGAL- AG anticipated that these dynamics, coupled with the program outreach activities, could result in a 10% decrease in herd size, which drives the greater share of emission reductions. Increases in productivity (50–67%) and decreases in absolute emissions (-10%) that resulted from REGAL-AG’s interventions decreased the emission intensity 33-40% (emissions per unit production) for all livestock types

Chanje Lavi Plantè in Haiti: Hillside soil conservation as a measure to increase yields and sequester carbon in Haiti

Analysis of the potential mitigation impacts of the agricultural development project Chanje Lavi Plantè in Haiti indicated that large amounts of carbon sequestration could be achieved through reforestation and perennial crop expansion. The project’s strategy for watershed and landscape restoration links investments in profitable orchard systems with hillside stabilization. Reforestation of watersheds (–478,828 tCO2e/yr) and perennial crop expansion (– 230,854 tCO2e/yr), drive 98% of the project’s sizable climate change mitigation co-benefits that are foreseen under successful project implementation. Chanje Lavi Plantè’s reduction in postharvest loss contribute to the reduced GHG emission intensity of cropping systems (GHG emissions per unit of production). Interventions are estimated to reduce postharvest loss substantially in these value chains: plantain (– 53%), maize (–47%), rice (–44%), beans (–50%) and mango (–35%). The investments made by the project in irrigation infrastructure, terracing, and forest plantations aim to increase financial revenues of beneficiaries and reinforce the lasting provision of ecosystem services

Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement Activity II in Ghana: Climate change mitigation co-benefits from sustainable intensification of maize, soybean, and rice

An analysis of the potential climate change mitigation impact of the project entitled Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement Activity II (ADVANCE II) in Ghana shows that an approximate reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 100% will be possible. When project targets are achieved, ADVANCE II will transform the project area from a low net source of GHG emissions to roughly carbon neutrality. * ADVANCE II is estimated to achieve moderate GHG mitigation benefits that are driven by soil management improvements (-9,223 tCO2e/yr), crop residue burning reductions (-4,249 tCO2e/yr), and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) of irrigated rice (-858 tCO2e/yr). The moderate increase in fertilizer and pesticide use supported by the project leads to small increases in GHG emissions (1,244 tCO2e/yr and 2,514 tCO2e/yr respectively). ADVANCE II provides important benefits for low emission development (LED) by significantly reducing the crop GHG emission intensity (GHG emissions per unit of production). This is achieved mainly through strong growth in agricultural productivity and reductions in postharvest losses

Prospects for land-use sustainability on the agricultural frontier of the Brazilian Amazon

The Brazilian Amazon frontier shows how remarkable leadership can work towards increased agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability without new greenhouse gas emissions. This is due to initiatives among various stakeholders, including national and state government and agents, farmers, consumers, funding agencies and non-governmental organizations. Change has come both from bottom-up and top-down actions of these stakeholders, providing leadership, financing and monitoring to foster environmental sustainability and agricultural growth. Goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from land-cover and land-use change in Brazil are being achieved through a multi-tiered approach that includes policies to reduce deforestation and initiatives for forest restoration, as well as increased and diversified agricultural production, intensified ranching and innovations in agricultural management. Here, we address opportunities for the Brazilian Amazon in working towards low-carbon rural development and environmentally sustainable landscapes

Rwanda Dairy Competitiveness Program II: Efficiency gains in dairy production systems decrease GHG emission intensity

The Rwanda Dairy Competitiveness Program II (RDCP) was estimated to have resulted in a strong decrease in the GHG emissions intensity of milk production, defined as the GHG emissions per unit (liter) of milk produced. Extensive cattle production systems reduced their GHG emission intensity by an estimated - 4.11 tCO2e per 1000 l of milk (-60%), while intensive production systems reduced their intensity by an estimated -1.7 tCO2e/1000 l (- 47%). The decrease in GHG emission intensity is evidence that RDCP made the value chain more efficient and sustainable in climate change mitigation terms. RDCP’s productivity-oriented interventions increased livestock herd size and cow weight. As a consequence, total annual GHG emissions in the project area increased by an estimated 18,980 tCO2e due to increased herd size and 34,904 tCO2e due to increased cow weight, when compared to business-as-usual practices. This represents a 12 percent increase in GHG emissions. The increase in milk output was proportionally much larger than the associated increase in GHG emissions. This increase in the efficiency of dairy production systems was the basis for a transformation to more sustainable production patterns in intensive and extensive dairy systems

Pastoralist Areas Resilience Improvement through Market Expansion (PRIME) in Ethiopia: Mitigation co-benefits of livestock productivity

Pastoralist Areas Resilience Improvement through Market Expansion (PRIME) showed a notable decrease in emission intensity (GHG emissions per unit of meat or milk). PRIME enabled farmers to increase production significantly, between 24% and 96%, which led to a decrease in emission intensity ranging from -4% to -42%. Due to improvements in feed quantity, PRIME projected an increase in average animal weight for all livestock (8.3 million head), which resulted in an increase in GHG emissions by an estimated 1.5 million tCO2e/yr. PRIME empowered stakeholders collectively to design and establish plans for effective management of pastures and water. The project supported soil and water conservation measures, enclosing degraded pastures, selective bush thinning, and clearing the invasive plant Prosopis. These practices improved pasture plant quality and reduced bare soil and overgrazing, which resulted in increased sequestration of soil carbon. These grassland improvements were estimated to sequester -0.1 million tCO2e/yr

Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement in Bangladesh: Mitigation co-benefits of nutrients and water use efficency

Analysis of potential mitigation in the development project Accelerating Agriculture Productivity Improvement (AAPI) in Bangladesh showed a 2% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, driven by urea deep placement (UDP) and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) in flooded rice systems. Given high emissions associated with conventional irrigated rice production, this represents a substantial reduction in emissions. AAPI promotes UDP, a fertilization practice known to increase nitrogen uptake efficiency. Based on the project plan and progress of implementation, UDP adoption was anticipated on 1.1 million ha of aman rice and 700,000 ha of boro rice. UDP is an example of the absolute emission reductions that are possible when a practice is widely implemented. AAPI promotes AWD, an irrigation practice for rice that reduces the amount of water used and results in decreased emissions. AAPI tested AWD on a pilot scale (21,000 ha). Climate change mitigation benefits would increase dramatically if adoption of AWD were more widespread. Due to increased rice yields, UDP and AWD reduce the emission intensity (CO2e emitted per kg production) from rice production by 10–48%

Better Life Alliance in Zambia: Climate change mitigation as a co-benefit of improved landscape, agroforestry, soil, and fertilizer management

Analysis of agricultural activities in the Better Life Alliance (BLA) project in Zambia showed potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), mostly (85%) due to avoided savanna degradation and conversion. The GHG impact due to BLA’s interventions is estimated at –902,531 tCO2e/yr, equivalent to saving 2,089,550 barrels of oil. BLA’s business model linked prevention of degradation and conversion of shrubland to market-based incentives for agricultural crops, thereby providing farmers with economic incentives for conservation and climate change mitigation. BLA promoted a comprehensive approach to soil fertility management. It promoted agroecological approaches such as recycling farm organic resources, planting nitrogen-fixing trees, minimal tillage, and cover crops. BLA reduced postharvest loss (PHL) through improved product processing, storage, and packaging. Changes in PHL were estimated for groundnuts (–100%), maize (–40%), rice (–80%), and soybeans (–67%), which contributed to decreases in emission intensity (GHG emissions per unit of production) for each of these products

Peru Cacao Alliance: Carbon sequestration as a co-benefit of cacao expansion

The agricultural development project, Peru Cacao Alliance (PCA), has contributed to climate change mitigation. Estimated carbon sequestration from perennial crop expansion, which was –211,467 tCO2e metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, more than offset increased greenhouse gas emission (GHG) from fertilizer and pesticide management (10,286 tCO2e). The net difference, –201,180 tCO2e, is equivalent to the carbon content of 465,774 barrels of oil. The agroforestry system promoted by PCA included cacao and shade trees. Since PCA could not provide definitive data detailing the presence of existing shade trees compared to the planting of new shade trees, this analysis did not include carbon dynamics of shade trees. If new trees were planted for shade, there would be greater carbon uptake by the system than presented in this analysis. PCA reduced emissions intensity for cacao (CO2e emitted per kg production) through improved carbon sequestration and increased yields. PCA improved cacao postharvest handling (proper pod selection, storage, drying and fermentation methods) by building knowledge and capacity in producer organizations

ACCESO in Honduras: Mitigation co-benefits of perennial crop expansion, soil management, and livestock improvements

The agricultural development project ACCESO reduced greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and led to net carbon sequestration due to perennial crop expansion. Increased fertilizer use was a moderate source of emissions that was more than offset by reduced emissions from other ACCESOsupported practices, including improvements in soil, water, and fertilizer management, and in feed and grassland use by dairy cows. Compared to conventional practices, ACCESOsupported activities reduced emission intensity (GHG emissions per kilogram of output) for carrots (-106%), cabbages (-99%), maize (-99%), and potatoes (-98%) compared to conventional production methods. Emission intensity increased due to greater fertilizer use for plantain (55%) and coffee (247%)