Lately I've been seeing a general picture emerging that gives rise to the idea that effective management of land use can do a lot to remove carbon from the atmosphere. By balancing agricultural and forest lands, we can do a lot to reduce CO₂ in the atmosphere. I just read another article that helps shore up that thought, this time related to farming:

Using existing technologies to monitor carbon storage in developing country landscapes could save more carbon than closing 1400 coal-burning power plants, according to new research by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).

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One of the key constraints preventing small farmers from taking advantage of emerging carbon markets has been the lack of knowledge about how to measure carbon stocks, especially in the soil.

To tackle this, ICRAF scientists have used readily available data from satellites, along with 'ground-truthing' (the verification on the ground of what is seen from the satellite), to characterise changes in land use across tropical forest margins and build up a picture of carbon sequestration.

This picture relates directly to carbon stock assessments, says Brent Swallow, Global Coordinator for the Alternatives to Slash and Burn Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins.

Swallow says that the work of ICRAF scientists in western Kenya shows that a high proportion of soil carbon is contained in relatively stable micro-aggregates, a promising sign for the longevity of carbon stored in soil. It also revealed which farming methods are best for carbon sequestration.

Obviously it's not a magic bullet solution to all of our problems, but it's potentially another tool to help fight climate change. We can use all the tools we can get right now.

4 December 2008 –Although agriculture and deforestation together account for nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, farm communities and those deriving their livelihoods from forests can help combat climate change, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.

This will require increased investment for farmers and foresters, particularly those in developing countries, said Alexander Müller, FAO Assistant Director-General.

The financing should prioritize emission-reducing schemes that simultaneously help boost food and energy security, slash poverty and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. “Forestry and agriculture offer many opportunities for such ‘win-win’ measures,” he said.