Carbon footprint and carbon storing capacity of arabica coffee plantations of Central America: A review

Abstract

Knowing the carbon footprint of agricultural systems will allow us to create mitigation and carbon capture strategies to mitigate environmental impacts. Here we reviewed the available literature about the carbon footprint associated with the cultivation of Arabica coffee in Central America region, ranging from traditional polycultures to unshaded monocultures. Subsequently, we reviewed the carbon storage data about different C stocks of a coffee plantation (i.e. living biomass, litter and soil). Finally, actions to mitigate emissions at the farm level are suggested. The major findings of this review were: i) the carbon footprints vary from 0.51 kg CO2eq/kgcherry coffee in traditional polycultures to 0.64 kg CO2eq/kgcherry coffee in unshaded monocultures. ii) Nitrogen fertilization is the main factor contributing to the carbon footprint. iii) The amount of carbon stored in living biomass varies from 53.6 Mg/ha in traditional polycultures to 9.7 Mg/ha in unshaded monocultures. The adequate use of fertilizers, periodic monitoring of soil fertility, the incorporation of functional trees (e.g. shade trees and/or nitrogen fixers) to plantations, soil conservation practices and the use of biofertilizers are some of the recommended actions to mitigate the carbon footprint associated with coffee plantations.