Methods for Measuring Greenhouse Gas Balances and Evaluating Mitigation Options in Smallholder Agriculture

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This book offers standards and guidelines for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions and removals in smallholder agricultural systems, focusing on climate change mitigation through emission reductions and livelihood trade-offs. Agriculture accounts for approximately 11% of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally, with an additional 17% stemming from land use change, particularly in developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, smallholders manage most farms, with 80% of land holdings under ten hectares. However, there is a lack of information regarding GHG emissions and mitigation potential in these systems. Measuring greenhouse gases in agriculture is costly, time-consuming, and prone to errors, especially given the diversity of smallholder systems. The need for methodological rigor and reliable data highlights the importance of establishing measurement standards for GHG emissions in smallholder agriculture. The guidelines presented, developed by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) and partners, aim to assist scientists and development organizations in generating dependable emissions data and enabling rigorous comparisons of mitigation options. These guidelines are particularly relevant for those conducting field measurements of agricultural GHG sources and sinks, including the development of IPCC Tier 2 emission factors.