Resource conservation techniques for climate change mitigation and adaptation

Abstract

Global temperature has increased by 0.6 ± 0.2°C with an increase of 0.17°C per decade since 1950 mostly due to enhancement of greenhouse gases. Agriculture contributes 47% and 58% of total anthropogenic emissions of N₂O and CH₄, respectively, which have between 25-and 298-fold global warming potential of that of CO₂. The agriculture sector has potential to reduce its own emissions, and concurrently, can also reduce emissions from other sectors through removing CO₂ from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Resource Conservation Techniques viz. zero-tillage, laser land levelling, fertilizer scheduling, use of slow release of N fertilizer have potential to increase carbon (C) accumulation in soil, reduce GHG emissions, and improve water and other input-use efficiency.