WORLD SOILS RESOURCES REPORTS 102

WORLD SOILS RESOURCES REPORTS 102

Carbon sequestration
in dryland soils

Cover photograph:
Smallholder farmers weeding in a woodlot. Malawi.
FAO/17754/A. Conti


FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Rome, 2004

 

Table of Contents


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ISBN 92-5-105230-1

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Contents

Preface

Summary

Acknowledgements

List of acronyms

Chapter 1. Introduction

Climate change
The terrestrial carbon cycle
Soils and carbon sequestration
The need of models to simulate changes in soil carbon
Soil degradation

Chapter 2. The world’s drylands

Definition of drylands
Land degradation in drylands
Distribution of drylands
Soil and vegetation of drylands
Characteristics of drylands that affect carbon sequestration
Desertification and carbon sequestration

Chapter 3. Farming systems in drylands

Introduction
Characteristics of smallholder agriculture
Examples of smallholder farming systems

Agricultural intensification
Extensive land use
Soil fertility management
Adding nutrients to the soil
Reducing losses of nutrients from the soil
Recycling nutrients
Maximizing the efficiency of nutrient uptake
Soil fertility management practices in the Sahel
Building on local knowledge

Realizing the biophysical potential for carbon sequestration in farming systems

Chapter 4. Biophysical aspects of carbon sequestration in drylands

Introduction
Halophytes
Grasslands
Burning
Afforestation
Residues
Applied manures
Inorganic fertilizers and irrigation
Tillage
Rotations
Fallows
Soil inorganic carbon
Trace gases
Climate change

Chapter 5. Case studies on drylands

Models for analysing tropical dryland agricultural systems
Approach adopted for parametizing rothc and century
Choice of systems and sources of data
Case study 1 - Nigeria - Kano Region
Case study 2 - India - Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka States
Case study 3 - Kenya - Makueni District
Case study 4 - Argentina - Tucuman, Catamarca and Cordoba Provinces
Case study 5 - Senegal - Old Peanut Basin
Case study 6 - Sudan - Northern Kordofan Province

Chapter 6. Carbon sequestration projects

Benefits from carbon trading
Direct local costs and benefits
Institutional and policy factors
Carbon accounting and verification
Risks and uncertainties for investors and farmers
Planning, designing and managing carbon sequestration projects
Policy and funding framework for carbon sequestration and poverty alleviation in drylands
The Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol
Carbon Funds
BioCarbon Fund
The Community Development Carbon Fund
The Global Environment Facility
Adaptation Fund
Prototype Carbon Fund

Chapter 7. Conclusions

References

World soil resources reports

Back cover


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