SUSTAINABLE DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE AND LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE HIMALAYA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION
The soil and land resources play a vital role in sustaining the local livelihoods of rural communities in the Himalaya. Most of the arable land has already been brought under cultivation, hence the ever-increasing demand for food and fiber has left farmers with no choice but to intensify agriculture...
| Principais autores: | , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Artigo |
| Idioma: | English |
| Publicado em: |
Karakoram International University Gilgit, Pakistan
2016-08-01
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| coleção: | Journal of Mountain Area Research |
| Acesso em linha: | https://journal.kiu.edu.pk/index.php/JMAR/article/view/11 |
| _version_ | 1831572726767157248 |
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| author | R. M. Bajracharya K. Atreya N. Raut H. L. Shrestha D. K. Gautam N. R. Dahal |
| author_facet | R. M. Bajracharya K. Atreya N. Raut H. L. Shrestha D. K. Gautam N. R. Dahal |
| author_sort | R. M. Bajracharya |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The soil and land resources play a vital role in sustaining the local livelihoods of rural communities in the Himalaya. Most of the arable land has already been brought under cultivation, hence the ever-increasing demand for food and fiber has left farmers with no choice but to intensify agriculture. However, producing more crops and greater quantities of food, fiber and other materials on the same parcel of land can to soil fertility and productivity decline with overall degradation of land quality. Therefore, ways and means to intensify agriculture to enhance productivity without degrading the soil and land resource base have become imperative. Agro-forestry, agro-slivi-pastoral systems, and the adoption of a variety of crop, soil and water management and conservation practices offer potential to deliver multiple benefits without sacrificing the very resource upon which the human population depends. Presented herein are findings on approaches to sustainable intensification of agriculture and land management related to soil OM management and C sequestration for multiple benefits, and, agro-forestry as a crop diversification strategy with both livelihood, and climate change adaptation/mitigation benefits. The results indicate that sustainable soil management practices could lead to significant SOC accumulations (4-8 t/ha over 6 yrs). SOC and soil C stocks tend to increase with elevation due to cooler climate and slow decomposition rates. Carbon stocks for the 3 LU types was in the order CF>AF/LH>AG, suggesting that diversified cropping practices including agro-forestry have good potential sequester C while providing livelihood opportunities and climate adaptive capacity for local farming communities. Biochar amendment increased growth of both coffee plants and radish with mixed grass/weed biochar being most effective. Biochar application also significantly decreased emission of GHGs, especially N2O. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:32:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5250b3f0e93b4c77ae5b51e87634d3b1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2518-8496 2518-850X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:32:46Z |
| publishDate | 2016-08-01 |
| publisher | Karakoram International University Gilgit, Pakistan |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Mountain Area Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-5250b3f0e93b4c77ae5b51e87634d3b12022-12-21T21:46:31ZengKarakoram International University Gilgit, PakistanJournal of Mountain Area Research2518-84962518-850X2016-08-011405211SUSTAINABLE DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE AND LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE HIMALAYA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATIONR. M. Bajracharya0K. Atreya1N. Raut2H. L. Shrestha3D. K. Gautam4N. R. Dahal5Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Science, Kathmandu UniversityDepartment of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Science, Kathmandu UniversityDepartment of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Science, Kathmandu UniversityDepartment of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Science, Kathmandu UniversityNepal Agroforestry Foundation, Koteshwor, KathmanduDepartment of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Science, Kathmandu UniversityThe soil and land resources play a vital role in sustaining the local livelihoods of rural communities in the Himalaya. Most of the arable land has already been brought under cultivation, hence the ever-increasing demand for food and fiber has left farmers with no choice but to intensify agriculture. However, producing more crops and greater quantities of food, fiber and other materials on the same parcel of land can to soil fertility and productivity decline with overall degradation of land quality. Therefore, ways and means to intensify agriculture to enhance productivity without degrading the soil and land resource base have become imperative. Agro-forestry, agro-slivi-pastoral systems, and the adoption of a variety of crop, soil and water management and conservation practices offer potential to deliver multiple benefits without sacrificing the very resource upon which the human population depends. Presented herein are findings on approaches to sustainable intensification of agriculture and land management related to soil OM management and C sequestration for multiple benefits, and, agro-forestry as a crop diversification strategy with both livelihood, and climate change adaptation/mitigation benefits. The results indicate that sustainable soil management practices could lead to significant SOC accumulations (4-8 t/ha over 6 yrs). SOC and soil C stocks tend to increase with elevation due to cooler climate and slow decomposition rates. Carbon stocks for the 3 LU types was in the order CF>AF/LH>AG, suggesting that diversified cropping practices including agro-forestry have good potential sequester C while providing livelihood opportunities and climate adaptive capacity for local farming communities. Biochar amendment increased growth of both coffee plants and radish with mixed grass/weed biochar being most effective. Biochar application also significantly decreased emission of GHGs, especially N2O.https://journal.kiu.edu.pk/index.php/JMAR/article/view/11 |
| spellingShingle | R. M. Bajracharya K. Atreya N. Raut H. L. Shrestha D. K. Gautam N. R. Dahal SUSTAINABLE DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE AND LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE HIMALAYA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION Journal of Mountain Area Research |
| title | SUSTAINABLE DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE AND LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE HIMALAYA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION |
| title_full | SUSTAINABLE DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE AND LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE HIMALAYA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION |
| title_fullStr | SUSTAINABLE DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE AND LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE HIMALAYA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION |
| title_full_unstemmed | SUSTAINABLE DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE AND LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE HIMALAYA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION |
| title_short | SUSTAINABLE DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE AND LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE HIMALAYA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION |
| title_sort | sustainable diversified agriculture and land management in the himalaya implications for climate change adaptation and mitigation |
| url | https://journal.kiu.edu.pk/index.php/JMAR/article/view/11 |
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