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Friday, July 31, 2009

Agriculture and Carbon Emmisions

The climate change debate seems to be loosing sight of some very important factors. It is well accepted that industrialsed countries are the worst offenders when it comes to greenhouse gas emmisions, but to address this issue of emmisions holistically, we need to also pay attention to the many developing countries where slash and burn agriculture is very widespread.

The current practice of land preparation for agriculture in many developing countries where large tracts of vegetation are completely cleared, debris or biomass burnt and land made bare (without any vegetation) before planting has serious implications for the environment in terms of release of carbon into the atmosphere. Usually there is so much focus on the amount of Carbon dioxide released by big industries whilst the world gradually looses sight of the volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases being released through slash and burn practices all over the world. For instance, few people realize that Indonesia is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases on the planet, after the United States and China; and 85 percent of Indonesia’s emissions are related to land use: the clearing of land for agriculture and infrastructure, and the burning of forests and peatlands.

Carbon dioxide (77%), nitrous oxide (8%), and methane (14%) are the three main greenhouse gases that trap infrared radiation and contribute to climate change and all these gases can be released through improper land management and agricultural practices. If we are serious about really mitigating climate change then our debate should not only focus on big industries. The earth is what we have and we must do all we can to secure it for the future.

5 comments:

  1. This is really an interesting issue that need to be addressed but people are trying to ignore and is going to have effect on us. At the end of the day we are the same people that will a portion blames to others.

    stephanie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Climatic change affect lives of human and animals at large. In as much as we attribute the climatic changes to the release of toxic gases into the atmosphere to vehicular movement and industrial activities, same have we failed to recognise and address agricultural activities such as bush burning as a contributing factor to climatic change.Same amount of gas from bush burning are released into the atmosphere which could pose serious threat to health of some people around. Ministry of Agriculture and other Agro based foundations should address the issue by educating farmers on other means of disposing weeds such as leaving them to rot to serve as manure for fertilisation, saving them extra cost in purchasing fertilizers produced industrially.

    Maame Nyarko Mensah

    ReplyDelete
  3. Climatic change affects lives of human and animals at large. In as much as we attribute the climatic changes to the release of toxic gases into the atmosphere to vehicular movement and industrial activities, same have we failed to recognise and address agricultural activities such as bush burning as a contributing factor to climatic change. Equal amount of gas from bush burning are released into the atmosphere which could pose serious threat to health of some people around.

    Ministry of Agriculture and other Agro based foundations should address the issue by educating farmers on other means of disposing weeds such as leaving them to rot to serve as manure for fertilisation, saving them extra cost in purchasing fertilizers produced industrially, and also the advantages the manure stand over fertilizers so far as human health is concerned since some Agro-products
    are eaten in the raw state.

    Environmental Protection Agencies on the other hand could make laws, banning farmers both in the cultivation of vase lands and back yard gardening from bush burning with the Ministry of Communication's branch of Information Service ensuring the laws are heard by everyone.

    Occasionally, students in the field of Sciences, especially Agricultural related fields and Chemistry should go on campaign trails to farming communities to educate farmers on how their careless farming activities could cost their lives in years to come if these gases gradually deplete the Ozone layer and how the government would have to manage the scarce resources to solve these problems.

    Maame Adwoa Nyarko Mensah

    ReplyDelete
  4. Climate change is a very serious global problem which has given rise to greenhouse gas emission especially carbon dioxide.This change is most probably man-made and if not checked,the impact will be catastrophic.For example global warming is now increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such us droughts,heatwaves,wildfires,storms and floods,which is now causing alot of problems in china.Another impact of climate change is that global warming is intensifying the water cycle,the process of precipitation,infiltration and evapouration.So the wet will get wetter and the dry will become drier.
    Since most of the world's energy use and carbon emission come from the cities,there should be improvement in transportation efficiency and urban planning.Cities should turn from polluters into vital part of the solution to climate change and better place to live.
    Osei Amankwa Gyampo

    ReplyDelete
  5. Burning of fuel wood contributes to release of carbon emissions into the atmosphere which causes global warming and eventual change in climate. Forest cover in Africa has been declining at one of the highest rates in the world. Increasing deforestation and its negative consequences have led to the need for alternative, sustainable and affordable energy, especially for domestic cooking and heating.

    The challenge is for developing countries to develop less carbon-intensive energy systems that would save their forests by reducing dependence on fuel-wood, protect their environments, economies, and improve living standards of people who depend on the natural resources, for their livelihoods. Much of Kenya’s original forest cover has already been lost and currently only 6% remains. Widespread deforestation is contributing to desertification, low precipitation and general change in climate. Some rivers are drying, colder and wetter months have become warmer and drier, and generally irregular, unreliable seasons.

    The introduction of solar cookers can considerably reduced the daily wood fuel consumption in its operational areas. It can bring about savings in wood fuel thus preventing deforestation, and negative climatic impacts. It will improve health, livelihoods, and quality of life through reduced indoor air pollution. It also promotes clean, reliable, affordable, efficient and safe energy solutions.

    Lets all find solutions by embracing renewable energy sources such as wind and solar so as to reduce the negative climatic changes.

    Stella Odaba
    Solar cookers International (East Africa)

    ReplyDelete

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