Search Results for: soils
Trees on agricultural land sink four times more carbon than previously thought
A 2016 study in the Nature journal showed that carbon sequestered by trees on agricultural land could be more than four times higher than previously thought. The research was carried out by a team of scientists from several organizations, including CIAT. Between 2000 and 2010, tree cover on agricultural land increased by 3 percent globally, resulting in […] Continue Reading
‘Spongy’ Soil Can Help Farmers Combat Climate Change
Droughts are expected to worsen and intense storms to become more frequent across much of the country in coming decades as the planet warms, but their impact on agriculture could be blunted if American farmers focus on their roots. A new study, released Wednesday, examines the benefits of cover cropping—planting soil-enriching plants between crop cycles—and other […] Continue Reading
Could expanding forests be the key to our climate strategy?
At the 2015 Paris climate conference, the United States and 196 other nations agreed to combat climate change by cutting their greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris Agreement recognizes that forests play an important role in meeting climate goals by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing carbon in trees and soils. But the agreement […] Continue Reading
The carbon trade off
“We’re at the forefront of understanding how we can make the most of soils to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,” said Rolf Sommer, principal soil scientist. Research shows that, small farms emit higher quantities of Green House Gas emissions(GHG) per calorie of food produced compared with larger ones this is because tilling the soil […] Continue Reading
Awash in green and gold: the emerging restoration economy in Kenya
Kuki Njeru’s eyes sparkle as she discusses her bamboo business. “There’s immense potential in restoring the gullies with bamboo,” she says. “Not only does it grow well on degraded land, it helps stabilize soils and prevent erosion as well.” A co-founder of GreenPot Enterprises, Kenya’s first integrated bamboo company, Njeru is the face of a […] Continue Reading
Using Agroforestry to save the planet
Agroforestry—the use of trees in farming—benefits both farmers and the environment. According to a recent report by Biodiversity International, the Center for International Forestry Research, the World Agroforestry Centre, and Charles Sturt University, forests contribute to the livelihoods of more than 1.6 billion people. Yet, 30 percent of the world’s forests are used primarily for the production of wood […] Continue Reading