Browsing by Author "Sunil Kumar Prajapati"

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Agroforestry: Harnessing the unrealized potential for negative carbon emission
(Elsevier, 2025) Nilutpal Saikia; Kadagonda Nithinkumar; Shreyas Bagrecha; Sk Asraful Ali; Mrinal Sen; N. Anthony Baite; Alapati Nymisha; Prabhu Govindasamy; Sunil Kumar Prajapati; Rohit Bapurao Borate; Niraj Biswakarma; Sandeep Naresh Kumar; Ram Swaroop Meena
Climate change presents an urgent and existential threat, necessitating immediate action to curb global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emphasizes the need to drastically reduce carbon dioxide (CO) emissions and remove billions of metric tons of CO from the atmosphere annually. Agroforestry—an integrated approach combining trees with agricultural systems—emerges as a critical option for achieving negative carbon (C) emissions. Agroforestry functions as a negative C sink through several key mechanisms. It sequesters C in both above-ground biomass (trunks, branches, leaves) and below-ground biomass (roots) as trees and shrubs capture atmospheric CO through photosynthesis. Additionally, agroforestry systems enhance soil organic carbon storage, improve soil health, and reduce soil erosion through tree roots that stabilize soil and prevent the loss of C-rich topsoil. Improved nitrogen (N) cycling in these systems, often facilitated by N-fixing plants, reduces the reliance on synthetic fertilizers and associated greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, agroforestry enhances biodiversity and ecosystem resilience, which contributes to more effective C sequestration over time. It also offers alternatives to fossil fuels, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and can generate C credits that contribute to net-zero emission goals. Recognized globally for its production and environmental benefits, agroforestry is increasingly seen as a greenhouse gas mitigation strategy. Recent studies suggest that its expansion could significantly contribute to climate change mitigation, with the potential to sequester up to 0.31 Pg C yr−1. To fully capitalize on agroforestry’s potential, accurate research, standardized protocols, and reliable C stock reporting are essential. Integrating agroforestry into global and national C monitoring frameworks requires the development of models capable of predicting C sequestration under diverse climate scenarios. Addressing gaps such as the lack of standardized datasets involves establishing rigorous protocols for sampling, analysis, and data management. Active engagement from the research community is critical to establishing agroforestry as a cornerstone in the global effort to combat climate change and achieve net-zero emissions. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.