Plans and Policies for Soil Organic Carbon Management in Agriculture

This edited book discusses how effective soil carbon management plans and policies will ultimately make agriculture more secure against climate change and soil degradation. It is focused on initiatives to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) and sequestration by launching different schemes and programs. An approach based on practical aspects of managing SOC in agriculture is provided with clear and concise descriptions. It has more attention to successfully implement plans and policies to meet the required level of SOC restoration. The book is covering the urgent needs of plans and policies for soil management and C restoration in agricultural ecosystems which can be beneficial to food, nutrition, environment, and economy security. There is also providing a roadmap on SOC policies to encourage the use of best management practices (BMPs) for soil health and C stock restoration, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The book is suitable for teachers, researchers, government planners and policymakers, undergraduate and graduate students of soil science, soil microbiology, agronomy, ecology, and environmental sciences. Preface 5 Acknowledgments 6 Contents 7 Editors and Contributors 9 Reforming the Soil Organic Carbon Management Plans and Policies in India 14 1 Introduction 16 2 Fertilizer Policy and Nutrient Management 18 3 Conservation Agriculture 19 3.1 Development-Related Issues for Implementing Conservation Agriculture 20 3.2 Researchable Issues 21 3.3 Policy Issues 22 4 Policies for Promotion of Crop Diversification 23 5 Interventions for the Soil C Stabilization 25 5.1 Biochar: Role in C Stabilization 25 5.2 Soil Microbial Consortia for the C Stabilization 26 5.3 Possibilities and Action Plans for C Stabilization 28 6 Policy Recommendations for Enhancing SOC Stock 28 7 Need for Laws/Acts (E.G. Land Degradation/Conservation Law) 33 8 Plans for Measurement, Mapping, Monitoring and Reporting on C Stock: Current Progress and Future Perspectives 35 9 Conclusion 36 References 36 Technologies, Programs, and Policies for Enhancing Soil Organic Carbon in Rainfed Dryland Ecosystems of India 39 1 Introduction 41 2 Productivity Constraints 43 3 Soil Health Issues in Rainfed Dryland Ecosystem 44 4 SOC Status of India and Rainfed Drylands 45 5 SOC-Enhancing Technologies 48 5.1 Crop Residue Recycling 48 5.2 Conservation Agriculture-Based System Intensification 49 5.3 Cover Crops 51 5.4 Integrated Nutrient Management 51 5.5 Tank Silt 53 5.6 Balanced Nutrition 53 5.7 Use of Novel Materials 54 5.8 Soil Restoration by Degradation Minimization 54 5.9 Mulch-Cum Manuring 56 5.10 Green Manuring 56 5.11 Coastal Soil Restoration 57 5.12 Composting 58 6 Programs and Policies 58 6.1 National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture 58 6.2 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 59 6.3 Soil Health Mission 59 6.4 Crop Residue Management Program 59 6.5 Customized Fertilizers 60 6.6 National Biogas and Manure Management Program 60 6.7 Paris Agreement and GHGs 60 6.8 Neem-Coated Urea Scheme 60 6.9 Rehabilitation of Degraded Land Targets and Land Degradation Neutrality 61 6.10 Nano-Fertilizers 61 6.11 Net Zero Emissions 61 7 Conclusion 62 8 Way Forward 62 References 63 Traditional Land Use Systems ́ Potential as the Framework for Soil Organic Carbon Plans and Policies 70 1 Introduction 72 2 Local Knowledge on Carbon Management 74 2.1 Traditional Land Use and Carbon Policy in North and Central America 76 2.2 Traditional Land Use and Carbon Policy in South America 79 2.3 Traditional Land Use and Carbon Policy in Africa 83 2.4 Traditional Land Use and Carbon Policy in Asia 85 2.5 Traditional Land Use and Carbon Policy in Oceania 90 2.6 Traditional Land Use and Carbon Policy in Europe 92 3 Global Land Use Policy and Organic Carbon 94 4 Conclusion 95 5 Future Prospective 96 References 97 Enhancing Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration in Agriculture: Plans and Policies 105 1 Introduction 106 2 Potential Role of Soil Organic Carbon 107 2.1 Soil Organic Carbon in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation 108 2.2 Soil Organic Carbon in Combating Land Degradation and Desertification 108 2.3 Soil Organic Carbon and Global Food Security 109 3 Enhancing Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration in Agriculture 110 3.1 Carbon Farming 110 3.2 Organic Farming 114 3.3 Natural Farming 114 3.4 Manure Management 115 3.5 Cover Crops and Mulching 115 3.6 Avoiding Soil Erosion 116 3.7 High Biomass Farming 116 3.8 Agroforestry 117 4 Gaps in Research for an Effective Policy 117 5 Policy Options in Soil Carbon Management 118 6 International Plans and Policies Frameworks for Soil Organic Carbon Management 120 7 India Plans and Policies Frameworks for Soil Organic Carbon Management in Agriculture 122 8 Future Scope and Perspectives 125 9 Conclusion 125 References 126 Plans and Policies for Soil Carbon Storage 132 1 Introduction 133 2 Carbon Sequestration Potential of Indian Soil 135 3 Soil Carbon Loss in Context of Land Degradation 136 4 Land-Use Impact on Soil Carbon Storage 137 5 Microbial Diversity and Soil Carbon Storage 137 6 Biochar: A New Resource for Soil Carbon Buildup 138 7 Agronomic Measures for Soil Carbon Storage 139 8 Soil Carbon Dynamics Under the Practice of Conservation Agriculture 140 9 Integrated Nutrient Management for Carbon Buildup 141 10 Soil Carbon Dynamics Under Organic Agriculture 142 11 Future Strategies on Soil Carbon Storage 143 12 Conclusions 144 References 145 Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration in Rice-Based Cropping Systems: Estimation, Accounting and Valuation 150 1 Introduction 151 2 Potential of CSequestration and Emission Reduction in Rice Soils 152 2.1 Potential of SOC Sequestration in Rice-Rice Cropping System 155 2.2 Potential of SOC Sequestration in Rice-Wheat Cropping System 155 3 Estimation of SOCSequestration 157 3.1 Critical Pre-estimation Parameters for Accurate Assessment of SOC 157 Establishing the Baseline 157 Fixing a Timeline 158 Determination of the Frequency of Measurement 158 Sampling Method 158 Bulk Density Corrections 159 3.2 Measurement Techniques 159 4 Policy for Protection of SOC Sequestration 160 4.1 Economic and Political Will for SOC Sequestration 160 Clean Development Mechanism 161 Baseline, Permanence and Leakage Related to CDM 162 4.2 Costs and Valuation ofC 162 4.3 Challenges Associated with Valuation of C 163 5 Conclusion 164 References 164 CO2 Capture, Storage, and Environmental Sustainability: Plan, Policy, and Challenges 168 1 Introduction 170 2 CO2 in Environment: Past, Present, and Future Analysis 171 3 Assessment Report on CO2 172 4 CO2 Sequestration: Conceptual Framework 172 5 CO2 Capture and Storage Technologies: Current Status and Overview 173 6 CO2 Sequestration in Environment 176 6.1 Forest 176 6.2 Soil 176 6.3 Saline Aquifer 177 6.4 Deep Ocean Storage 177 7 CO2 Sequestration in Urban Environment: Key Insight 178 8 Microbes for Enhanced CO2 Sequestration in Environment 180 9 CO2 Capture and Storage: A Way Forward for Sustainable Environment 180 10 Remote Sensing Techniques for CO2 Capture and Storage 181 11 CO2 Removal Policy: Recent Advances and Challenges 183 12 CDR Integration into Climate Policy and Political Approach: Analytical Framework 184 13 Forest-Based CO2 Removal: Policy Tool, Design, and Management Approach 185 13.1 REDD+-Based Policy for Negative Emission/Net Zero Emission 185 13.2 The Kyoto Protocol and the Clean Development Mechanism 188 14 CO2 Capture and Storage: Crucial for UN COP-21 188 15 Future Research-Based Roadmap for CO2 Capture and Storage 189 16 Conclusion 189 References 190 Plan and Policies for Soil Organic Carbon Management Under Agroforestry System 199 1 Introduction 201 2 SOC in Ecosystem: Policies, Plans, and Potentials 202 3 Plan and Initiatives for SOC Restoration and Climate Change Mitigation 207 4 Monitoring SOC Towards LDN Achievement 207 5 Agroforestry and C Dynamics 207 6 Agroforestry Practices for SOC Management 210 7 Utilization of Diverse Land Under Agroforestry to Improve C Reserve 211 8 Agroforestry Policy Instrument 213 9 Affords Towards Soil Management and Ecological Restoration 216 10 Plans for Improving SOC and Stock 217 11 Research and Development for Soil Health Protection and Management 217 12 Agroforestry Plans and Policies for Soil and Environmental Protection 218 13 Planning for High SOC Buildup Through Different Land Use 219 14 Action Plans for Policymakers 220 15 Conclusion 221 References 221 Carbon Sequestration in Degraded Lands: Current Prospects, Practices, and Future Strategies 228 1 Introduction 229 2 Good Agriculture Practices for Enhancing Soil Organic Carbon Stock in Degraded Lands 232 2.1 Balanced Fertilization with Organic and Inorganics 232 2.2 Application of Organic Amendments 232 2.3 Conservation Agriculture 233 2.4 Tree Plantations 235 2.5 Soil and Water Conservation Measures 239 2.6 Agroforestry Practices 240 Global Status 241 Indian Status 244 3 Soil Organic Carbon Behaviour 247 4 Challenges of Carbon Sequestration in the Degraded Lands 248 5 Futuristic Strategies for Carbon Sequestration in Degraded Lands 250 6 Policies and Programmes 251 6.1 National Mission for a Green India 251 6.2 National Afforestation Programme 252 6.3 Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority 252 6.4 National Action Programme to Combat Desertification 252 6.5 Green Highway Policy 2015 253 6.6 National Agroforestry Policy, 2014 253 6.7 Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation 253 7 Conclusion 254 8 Future Prospective 254 References 254