Carbon storage in cashew plantations in Central Africa: case of Cameroon

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the carbon storage in cashew plantations in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. Quantification of stocks of biomass and carbon dioxide contained in agroforestry systems has become an international priority within the framework of the implementation of REDD + mechanism. Three cashew plantations were selected according to age classes (0–10 years; 10–20 years and over 20 years) in the four subdivisions (Bénoué, Faro, Mayo-Louti and Mayo-Rey). The experimental device installed is a complete random Fisher block with five repetitions. A 100 m × 20 m transect method was undertaken to assess the biomass. Allometric equations were used to assess carbon stock in biomass and laboratory analysis was used to assess soil carbon stock. Carbon stocks varied following the subdivisions and ranged from 69.29 to 96.67; 62.24 to 82.61; 59.00 to 90.64 and 66.14 to 84.03 tC/ha respectively in Bénoué, Faro, Mayo-Louti and Mayo-Rey. Soil carbon stock varied following the subdivisions and ranged from 22.03 to 30.33; 20.12 to 25.43; 19.21 to 25.73 and 21.06 to 24.51 tC/ha respectively in Bénoué, Faro, Mayo-Louti and Mayo-Rey. The highest total carbon stock was recorded in Bénoué subdivision (81.85 ± 13.55 t C/ha). The cashew plantation is actively sequestering carbon showing the potentiality to mitigate global climate change. Finally, these results are also an important economic, ecological and dynamic informative value to serve as a basis for guiding any program of action aimed at the conservation and sustainable management of this species.