Impact of agroecological practices on soil organic carbon sequestration using synchronic and diachronic approaches on ferralsols and andosols of Madagascar

The study proceeded to the following steps:

1. Selection of agroecological and conventional systems
2. Identification of sample plots and producers
3. Inventory and soil samples in the field
4. Analyzes of the samples in the laboratory
5. Calculations of carbon stocks
6. Statistical analyzes of the impact of system adoption

The findings of the study show that:

• Agroforestry is used to store carbon in the soil up to 1.0 MgC.ha-1.year-1 on Andosols and 3.7 MgC.ha-1.year-1 on Ferralsols at a rate of depth from 0 to 30 cm
• Farmer forestry is used to store carbon in the soil up to Ferralsols (1.4 MgC.ha-1.year-1) and Andosols (2.1 MgC.ha-1.year-1)

There are significant differences between 2014 and 2018 in Carbon stocks for AgroForestry (very high) and Forestry (lower) compared to other systems. Both allow sequestration of carbon, allowing both the increase of fertility in the plots and to constitute a lever to fight against climate change.

Download the summary of the study below.