8.1 Introduction

Agriculture releases to the atmosphere significant amounts of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O (Cole et al., 1997; IPCC, 2001a; Paustian et al., 2004). CO₂ is released largely from microbial decay or burning of plant litter and soil organic matter (Smith, 2004b; Janzen, 2004). CH₄ is produced when organic materials decompose in oxygen-deprived conditions, notably from fermentative digestion by ruminant livestock, from stored manures, and from rice grown under flooded conditions (Mosier et al. 1998). N₂O is generated by the microbial transformation of nitrogen in soils and manures, and is often enhanced where available nitrogen (N) exceeds plant requirements, especially under wet conditions (Oenema et al., 2005; Smith and Conen, 2004). Agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes are complex and heterogeneous, but the active management of agricultural systems offers possibilities for mitigation. Many of these mitigation opportunities use current technologies and can be implemented immediately.

This chapter describes the development of GHG emissions from the agricultural sector (Section 8.2), and details agricultural practices that may mitigate GHGs (Section 8.4.1), with many practices affecting more than one GHG by more than one mechanism. These practices include: cropland management; grazing land management/pasture improvement; management of agricultural organic soils; restoration of degraded lands; livestock management; manure/bio-solid management; and bio-energy production.

It is theoretically possible to increase carbon storage in long-lived agricultural products (e.g., strawboards, wool, leather, bio-plastics) but the carbon held in these products has only increased from 37 to 83 MtC per year over the past 40 years. Assuming a first order decay rate of 10 to 20 % per year, this is estimated to be a global net annual removal of 3 to 7 MtCO₂ from the atmosphere, which is negligible compared to other mitigation measures. The option is not considered further here.

Smith et al. (2007a) recently estimated a global potential mitigation of 770 MtCO₂-eq/yr by 2030 from improved energy efficiency in agriculture (e.g., through reduced fossil fuel use), However, this is usually counted in the relevant user sector rather than in agriculture and so is not considered further here. Any savings from improved energy efficiency are discussed in the relevant sections elsewhere in this volume, according to where fossil fuel savings are made, for example, from transport fuels (Chapter 5), or through improved building design (Chapter 6).