Current Science

R. H. Rizvi ¹, Ram Newaj ¹, Rajendra Prasad ¹, A. K. Handa ¹, Badre Alam ¹, S. B. Chavan ¹, Abhishek Saxena ¹, P. S. Karmakar ¹, Amit Jain ¹, Mayank Chaturvedi ¹

Affiliations
1 ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi 284 003, IN

Abstract

Agroforestry is a traditional and ancient land use practice, having deliberate integration of trees with crop and livestock components. In India, agroforestry practices are prevalent in different agro-ecological zones and occupy sizeable areas. These practices have great potential for climate change mitigation through sequestration of atmospheric CO₂. Carbon sequestration potential was studied in four districts of Gujarat (Anand, Dahod, Patan and Junagarh), for which field survey was conducted to collect primary data on existing agroforestry systems. The extent of agroforestry area in these districts was estimated by sub-pixel classifier using medium resolution remote sensing data (RS-2/LISS III). By sub-pixel classifier, the highest area under agroforestry was estimated in Dahod (12.48%) followed by Junagarh district (10.95%) with an average of 9.12%. Sapota (Manilkara zapota) based agroforestry was also mapped in Junagarh district, which occupied an area of 1.13%. An accuracy of 87.2% was found by sub-pixel classifier in delineation of sapota-based agroforestry in the district. Dynamic CO2FIX model has been used to estimate total carbon (biomass + soils) and net carbon sequestered in existing agroforestry systems. Net carbon sequestered over a simulated period of 30 years in Anand, Dahod, Patan and Junagarh districts was found to be 2.70, 6.26, 1.61 and 1.50 Mg C ha^-1 respectively. Total carbon stock in all four districts for baseline and simulated period of 30 years was estimated to be 2.907 and 3.251 million tonnes respectively. Thus, agroforestry systems in Gujarat have significant potential in carbon storage and trapping atmospheric CO₂ into biomass and soils. Hence, CO2FIX model in conjunction with remote sensing techniques can be successfully applied for estimating carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry systems in a district or a region.

Keywords

Agroforestry, Geospatial, Remote Sensing, Sub-Pixel, Tree Cover.

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Ajit ¹, A. K. Handa ², S. K. Dhyani ³, G. M. Bhat ⁴, A. R. Malik ⁴, V. Dutt ⁴, T. H. Masoodi ⁴, Uma ¹, Amit Jain ²

Affiliations
1 ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, Library Avenue, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, IN
2 ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi 284 003, IN
3 NRM-Division, ICAR, KAB-II, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, IN
4 Camp-Wadura, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Srinagar 190 025, IN

Abstract

The dynamic carbon accounting model CO2FIX was used for evaluating carbon stocks and estimate greenhouse gas mitigation through tree-based systems, outside the forest area, in Kupwara district of Kashmir valley India. Primary survey results revealed that on an average, there were about 135 trees per hectare, existing on farmers' field. Malus (33.75%), populus (29.91%), salix (14.32%), juglans (6.68%) and robinia (4.7%) were dominant tree species. Paddy and maize are the dominant kharif crops, whereas rabi season is dominated by oilseeds and fodder crops. The carbon sequestration potential, all the three pools simultaneously (viz. tree, crop and soil), of existing agroforestry systems (AFS) has been predicted as 0.88 Mg C ha^-1 yr^-1. AFS at district level are estimated to sequester 146,996 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually, which may offset completely the greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture/irrigation sector on account of electricity consumption throughout the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Keywords

Agroforestry Systems, Carbon Sequestration Potential, GHG Mitigation, Soil Carbon, Tree Biomass.

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