Download Ms. Bettina Hedden-Dunkhorst, Center for Development Research

Climate Change
Mitigation through
Technology Innovations
in Agriculture
Bettina Hedden-Dunkhorst
and Paul Vlek
Center for Development Research,
University of Bonn
Outline
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Background
Technology Development in
Agriculture
New Technologies for Climate
Change Mitigation
Adoption Constraints
Suggestions for Policies and
Instruments
Background
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Agriculture causes about 25 % global
anthropogenic CO2 emissions, 65 % of CH4,
and 90 % of N2O emissions.
GWP: CH4, – 21times higher than CO2; N2O
– 310 times higher;
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But, agriculture is also affected by climate
change
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Largest source of emissions – transformation of
forest to agricultural land
through increased climate variability
(Modest) mitigation options are available that
could result in win-win solutions
Productivity increases are necessary to
guarantee adoption
Technology Development in
Agriculture
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Research
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Scale:
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International (16 IARCs - CGIAR)
National (NARS)
Local (NGOs, local knowledge)
Policy directions for research:
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Economic policies
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Social policies
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Trade : export crops
Appropriate technologies, low input technologies
Environmental policies
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Reduced GHG emissions, anti soil erosion technologies,
water saving technologies
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Focus of Research:
still top down
 but more focus on participatory approaches
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Capacity for Manufacturing or
Multiplication of Technology
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Examples
Mulching machine (Eastern Amazon Region)
 Seed multiplication (Zimbabwe)
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New Agricultural Technologies for
Climate Change Mitigation - RiceWheat Systems
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24-27 million ha in South and East Asia
Rice – flooded fields; Wheat well-drained
soils;
Rice:
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Emissions:
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methane and nitrous oxide
(carbon dioxide – straw burning)
Mitigation strategies:
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proper management of organic inputs
temporary (mid-season) field drainage
direct seeding (-18% CH4)
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Wheat
Emissions: nitrous oxide (emitted after
fertilization, irrigation and heavy rains or
during fallow periods)
 Mitigation strategies:
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Emissions less sensitive to
management practices
Problem:
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Antagonism between methane and nitrous
oxide emissions, hence targeting one gas
alone is inappropriate.
New Agricultural Technologies for
Climate Change Mitigation - Pastoral
Ecosystems of the Tropics
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Worldwide grazing land covers ¼ of earth‘s
land surface - twice the area under crops
Savannas: greatest storage capacity for
belowground carbon
Soil carbon losses through: land conversion
(pasture – crop land); grazing management
Methane emission: derive from grazing
animals
Nitrous oxide emissions (low in developing
countries): fertilizer use, land conversion,
manure application
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Pastoral lands will lose above and belowground
C when they become drier due to climate
change.
Mitigating strategies - Carbon dioxide
Improved grazing management (0.5 t C ha-1)
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Reduction in grazing intensity
and biomass burning
 Improvement of degraded land
 Reduction of soil erosion
 Changes in species mix to deep-root grasses
 (Substitution of renewable biological products for
fossil fuels – commercial ranches LA)
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Implementation Requirements
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Policies:
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Government regulations, taxes, subsidies
Incentives for Carbon market development:
Strengthen institutional linkages between
countries selling/buying
 Strengthen pastoral networks of
communication
 Information through extension services
 Functioning and accountable community
governance structures
 Monitoring systems for carbon stocks
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New Agricultural Technologies for
Climate Change Mitigation - Other
Systems
 Alternatives to Slash and Burn
Managed forests
 Agroforestry
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Wheat, Maize, Soybean, etc.
No-tillage (accumulation of soil Carbon,
less fossil fuel use)
 Reduced N fertilization
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Adoption Constraints: Farmers
Perspective
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Lack of:
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Information
Capital
Transportation
Incentives (low potential to increased returns)
Temporary land tenure and water rights
Unreliable supplies
Risk aversion and vulnerability of farmers
Suggestions for Policies and
Policies
Instruments
Instruments
Payments for
Rural poverty environmental services,
reduction
provide market
opportunities
Property
rights
Legal instruments:
contract enforcement
Information
and
Education
Policy coordination
Participation in
and linking by sector
policy design,
(environmental, agricultural) subsidiarity,
and level
decentralisation
(national, local)
Media support,
free education
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International Level
Research
Targeted
funding
Policies Instruments
Enabling environment:
Technology
patents,
exchange
technology advice
Generation of data base
and dissemination
Information
of findings
Trade
Enabling environment:
WTO negotiations,
labeling
(climate change
mitigation)
On Balance …
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Agricultural technologies for modest
climate change mitigation exist.
More needs to be known about their
effects and interactions (all GHG)
under different conditions.
Mechanisms to support technology
adoption need to be developed.