Carbon Balance and Mitigation Potential of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Drought Prone Districts of Maharashtra

A study was carried for ex ante measurements of green house gas (GHG) emissions using EX-ACT carbon balance tool developed by FAO in seven villages of Maharashtra, India. These ex ante measurements were mainly carried out to quantify the impacts of various agriculture management interventions in terms of carbon balance and potential. The model takes deforestation, afforestation/reforestation, livestock, cultivation of annual crops, perennial crops, fertilization of crops into account to calculate the C balance. The results showed that the interventions adopted (improved cropland management, nutrient management and water management) were found to be appropriate options to mitigate the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions for the next 20 years with mitigation potential of 86.6% of the total GHG mitigated when compared to traditional practices followed by the farmers. Among the different sectors studied, afforestation had highest mitigation potential followed by practices in annual and perennial crops. There was also increase in cropping area under annual crops up to 21.8% with an overall average mitigation potential of 1.4 t/ha/yr CO₂e, while livestock and other land use sectors were contributing to the CO₂e emissions ranging from 4.7 to 100% of the total GHG emissions. The overall carbon (C) balance estimates were -14.4, -15.3, -16.2, -21.6, -15, -23.1 and -22.3 t/haCO₂e (with ‘-’ indicating sink) in Ahmednagar, Amaravathi, Aurangabad, Gondia, Nandurbar, Baramati and Ratnagiri districts, respectively. Such better management practices if implemented in the larger regions, could contribute towards mitigation of GHG emissions.