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Carbon storage in Ghanaian cocoa ecosystems
Askia M Mohammed1, James S Robinson2, David Midmore2
1CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, Nyankpala, PO Box 52, Tamale, Ghana.
Carbon Balance and Management
|June 25, 2016
Summary
Ghana
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
Background:
- Cocoa sector inclusion for carbon storage requires quantifying carbon stocks in Ghana.
- Understanding carbon sequestration in cocoa systems is crucial for national climate strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- Quantify carbon stocks in shaded and unshaded cocoa systems in Ghana.
- Assess the potential of Ghana's cocoa sector for carbon storage.
Main Methods:
- Measured total ecosystem carbon (biomass C + soil C to 60 cm depth) in farmers' fields.
- Compared carbon stocks in Eastern (ER) and Western (WR) regions of Ghana.
Main Results:
- Total ecosystem carbon stocks ranged from 81.8 to 153.9 Mg C/ha.
- Soils accounted for the majority (~89%) of the carbon stock.
- Western Region cocoa systems showed higher carbon stocks (137.8 ± 8.6 Mg C/ha) than Eastern Region (95.7 ± 8.6 Mg C/ha).
Conclusions:
- Ghana's cocoa sector, covering 1.45 million hectares, could potentially store 118.6-223.2 Gg C.
- Inclusion of the cocoa sector in Ghana's national carbon accounting is justified.
- Shade management did not significantly affect carbon storage in cocoa systems aged within 30 years.
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