Climate Change Mitigation: The Role of Agriculture

Abstract

The paper examined available information on the contribution ofagriculture toward climate change, the effect of climate change onagriculture and the mitigation potentials of agriculture on climate change.Findings reveal that agriculture contributes to climate change majorly bythe emission of methane, nitrous oxide and carbon (iv) oxide. Climatechange affects agriculture through temperature rises which affect bothcrop and animal production, rising sea levels which causes farm landsalinization and flooding and pests/diseases infestation. The mitigationpotential of agriculture relies on sustainable agricultural practices whichinclude organic farming, agro biodiversity, better land and watermanagement practices, composting, vermicomposting, integrated pestmanagement, cover cropping, mulching, use of bio fuel/bio energy,reduction of fertilizer use, crop rotations and soil conserving tillage whichreduce soil erosion. For effective climate change mitigation throughagriculture, the following recommendations were made (i) there is needfor a systematic redirection of investment, funding, research and policyfocus towards sustainable agriculture (ii) agricultural policies thatencourage farming by subsidizing safe and sustainable farm inputsshould be encouraged (iii) extension services should promoteawareness-raising about sustainable agriculture and (iv) sustainableagriculture should be integrated into all level of the education system.