ABSTRACT

This book reviews the state of agricultural climate change mitigation globally, with a focus on identifying the feasibility, opportunities and challenges for achieving mitigation among smallholder farmers. The purpose is ultimately to accelerate efforts towards mitigating land-based climate change. While much attention has been focused on forestry for its reputed cost-effectiveness, the agricultural sector contributes about ten to twelve per cent of emissions and has a large technical and economic potential for reducing greenhouse gases. The book does not dwell on the science of emissions reduction, as this is well covered elsewhere; rather, it focuses on the design and practical implementation of mitigation activities through changing farming systems. 

Climate Change Mitigation and Agriculture includes chapters about experiences in developed countries, such as Canada and Australia, where these efforts also have lessons for mitigation options for smallholders in poorer nations, as well as industrialising countries such as Brazil and China. A wide range of agroecological zones and of aspects or types of farming, including livestock, crops, fish farming, fertilizer use and agroforestry, as well as economics and finance, is included. The volume presents a synthesis of current knowledge and research activities on this emerging subject. Together the chapters capture an exciting period in the development of land-based climate change mitigation as attention is increasingly focused on agriculture's role in contributing to climate change.

part II|156 pages

Institutional Arrangements and Incentives

chapter 7|10 pages

How to Make Carbon Finance Work for Smallholders in Africa

Experience from the Kenya Agricultural Carbon Project

chapter 8|14 pages

Designing Agricultural Mitigation for Smallholders in Developing Countries

A Comparative Analysis of Projects in East Africa

chapter 11|8 pages

Sustainable Land Management and Carbon Finance

The Experience of the BioCarbon Fund

chapter 12|13 pages

Financing Mitigation in Smallholder Agricultural Systems

Issues and Opportunities

chapter 15|11 pages

Payments for Environmental Services to Mitigate Climate Change

Agriculture and Forestry Compared

chapter 17|10 pages

An Australian Landscape-Based Approach

AFOLU Mitigation for Smallholders

chapter 18|12 pages

Sustaining China's Agriculture in a Changing Climate

A Multidisciplinary Action Through UK—China Cooperation

part III|70 pages

Ghg Measurement and Accounting

chapter 21|10 pages

An Emissions-Intensity Approach for Crediting Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Agriculture

Reconciling Climate and Food Security Objectives in the Developing World

chapter 24|11 pages

Accounting for Quality in Agricultural Carbon Credits

A Verified Carbon Standard for Agricultural Land Management Projects

part IV|126 pages

Case Studies

chapter 27|17 pages

Livestock and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Mitigation Options and Trade-Offs

chapter 28|14 pages

Home on the Range

The Contribution of Rangeland Management to Climate Change Mitigation

chapter 33|8 pages

Carbon Trade-Offs Along Tropical Forest Margins

Lessons From ASB Partnership Work in Cameroon