Carbon Footprint and Sustainability of the Smallholder Agricultural Production Systems in Ethiopia

Abstract

Sustainability of an agricultural system depends on its carbon (C) footprint. Thus, major C-inputs and C-outputs of the smallholder crop-livestock mixed farming systems in Ethiopia were collated and their C-equivalence and sustainability indices (CSI) were computed. C-based inputs increased twofold from the lowest (0.32TgCeq y−1) in 1994 to the highest (0.62TgCeq y−1) in 2010. Similarly, total C-output increased linearly from the lowest (30TgCeq y−1) in 1994 to the highest (62TgCeq y−1) in 2010 and 2011. Livestock contributed much of the C-output. Further, the average rate of increase in C-output from 1994 to 1999 was marginal, i.e., 0.67TgCeq y−1, but the 11-year average rate of increase from 2000 to 2011 was relatively higher, i.e., 2.2TgCeq y−1. The relationship between annual total C-based input and output was strong (r2 = 0.88; P < 0.001). The CSI of the smallholder agricultural production systems in Ethiopia was relatively high, with the 18-year average value being ˜110 when compared with other regions.