An overview: the potential role of agro forestry in enhancing carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions on agricultural lands

Abstract

Agricultural production systems face major challenges under climate change scenarios in terms of expected negative impacts on productivity and persistence of the crops. Greenhouse gases from agriculture continue to rise although not as fast as from other fossil fuel-based human activities. Windbreaks perform several ecosystems functions that improve the local and regional capacity of crop systems to increase yields and offer environmental services by minimizing the negative effects of extreme weather events. Agro forestry systems also represent an important means of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. This is predominantly accomplished by the trees and crops storing carbon (C) in their above and belowground woody tissue while reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions either through avoidance of emissions or through energy savings. However, available and reliable data for estimating agro forestry contributions to whole-farm and regional C assessments are scarce and in most regions, do not exist. The main objective of this research was to analyze the C storage potential of agro forestry systems and to estimate the extent of potential reduction in emissions due to the presence of trees in different farming scenarios.