Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Adaption and Mitigating Climate Change with Soil Organic Matter in Organic Production Systems
Andre Leu Vice President , IFOAM
Louise Luttikholt for SOEL training 200804101
Farm Adaption
Adaptation to climate change due to higher soil carbon levels
If the world stopped polluting the planet with greenhouse gases it would take decades years to reverse climate change. Farmers have to adapt to the increasing intensity and frequency of adverse weather events such as droughts and intense damaging rainfall events. Many parts of the planet are experiencing exactly this. Adaption has to be our first priority to ensure food security
Despite this Soil Carbon and Agriculture are not included in the KP, Cancun Agreements or REDD+
2005)
Increased water holding capacity, higher water content in soil (Brown et al., 2000; Lotter et al., 2003; Pimentel et al.,
The organic systems captured about twice as much water as the conventional treatment during that two day event (Lotter 2003)
exceptional water capture capability of the organic treatments stood out during the torrential downpours during hurricane Floyd in September of 1999.
The
Soil Organic Carbon Mitigates and Adapts Higher corn and soybean yields in drought years Increased soil C and N Higher water infiltration Higher water holding cap Higher microbial activity Increased stability
Conventional
Cuba Two rice plants the same age and same variety Building resilience through better soil management By: Dr. Norman Uphoff, Cornell University
After typhoon, FFS farmer in Dng Tr village, Hanoi Province, Viet Nam
Soil water held in the crop root zone was measured and shown to be consistently higher in the organic plots than the conventional plots, due to the higher organic matter ... (Lotter 2003)
Holds water Cements soil particles and reduces soil erosion Increases nutrient storage & availability Humus can last 2000 years in the soil
Organic Corn - 1995 Drought Better infiltration, retention, and delivery to plants helps avoid drought damage
Organic
Conventional
Sekem Egypt
Maintain agricultural land or even re-cultivate degraded soils Restore degraded lands
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March 2008
June 2009
Grassland Arable Crops Permanent Crops Total Organic @ 14,000 tonnes per hectare Annual GHG emissions
ha ha ha ha
70 49
Pasture Cropping
Pasture Cropping
Biological activity in soil is stimulated by rootmass activity which feeds microbe communities and generates soil carbon and nutrients for the crop
Pasture Cropping
Soil Comparison between Winona and nearby property. Picture: Christine Jones
Pasture Cropping
The following increases in soil minerals have occurred calcium 277%, magnesium 138%, potassium 146%, sulphur 157%, phosphorus 151%, zinc 186%, iron 122%, copper 202%, boron 156%, molybdenum 151%, cobalt 179% and selenium 117%. (Carbon that Counts: www.ofa.org)
Pasture Cropping
The sequestration rate in the last two years (2008-2010) has been 33 tonnes of CO2 per hectare per year. This increase occurred during the worst drought in recorded Australian history
Dr Christine Jones has conducted research at Colin Siess property in NSW showing that in the last 10 years 168.5 t/ha of CO2 was sequestered.
Grassland Arable Crops Permanent Crops Total (FAO) Organic @ 33 tonnes per hectare Annual GHG emissions (UNFCC)
ha ha ha ha Gt C Gt CO2 equ.
Tigray Ethiopia
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Organic Agriculture prevents soil erosion and land degradation through: Improving soil fertility Preventing wind and water erosion Improving water infiltration and retention capacity
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Yields
20,000 farmers in Tigray, Ethiopia, moved away from intensive agrochemical usage in favor of composting has seen crop yields double and in the range of crops it is possible to grow. Formally one of the most degraded regions of Ethiopia, the environment and the community have been restored and revitalized Source: Nicolas Parrott, Cardiff University, 'The Real Green Revolution
Yields
A report by the United National Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) stated on Organic Agriculture: the average crop yield was 116 per cent increase for all African projects and 128 per cent increase for the projects in East Africa.
Organic Agriculture and Food Security in Africa 2008
Thank You