Soil Carbon Sequestration to Mitigate Climate Change and Food Insecurity
Pradeep Kumar*
Department of Agronomy, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana – 125004, INDIA
Sandeep Kumar
Department of Agronomy, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana – 125004, INDIA
S. K. Kakraliya
Department of Agronomy, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana – 125004, INDIA
C. K. Jangir
Department of Agronomy, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana – 125004, INDIA
DOI: NIL
Keywords: Climate change, Food insecurity, Mitigation, Carbon sequestration
Abstract
Climate change caused by increased temperature and atmospheric carbon-dioxide concentration has brought the global food insecurity. The natural global carbon cycle has been disturbed with increased human induced CO₂ emission. Soil carbon sequestration is a major means to overcome this concern by transferring the atmospheric CO₂ into soil for long term use by means of proper land use and agronomic practices. The prime object for the effort is to slow down the rapid rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Upon sequestering the atmospheric CO₂ into the soil, the atmospheric CO₂ level gets reduced and beside this, soil organic carbon releases nutrients for plant growth, promotes the chemical, biological and physical properties of the soil, and acts as a buffer against harmful substances which ultimately enhances the crop production. Soil organic carbon is part of the natural carbon cycle, and the world’s soils hold around twice the amount of carbon that is found in the atmosphere and in vegetation. Organic carbon gets assimilated within the plant system through photosynthesis using carbon dioxide from the air and water. The vegetative parts, animals, human and other living beings after death return to the soil where they are decomposed and recycled. It increases agricultural production with enhanced soil physical, chemical and biological properties and facilitates environmental benefits leading to improved food system stability to fight world hunger.
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Reference
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