Land and Environmental Management through Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) System

Abstract

Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) is one of the most important sectors for the food and livelihood security, as well as being among the leading greenhouse gases (GHG) emitters, especially from the developing countries. (AFOLU is responsible for about a quarter of human-induced GHG emissions.) Among the different AFOLU activities, deforestation and agriculture are leading drivers of growing emission. In order to reduce GHG from the AFOLU sector, it is necessary to develop cost-effective mitigation strategies and adaptation measures via investment for adequate land and environment management. Investments should be made in food security efforts, boosting carbon sinks, modernizing old technologies, and introducing new technical innovation in order to minimize AFOLU emissions. The AFOLU mitigation measure can also give a co-benefit in the form of ecosystem service, but the adverse effects of the mitigation strategies, implementation problems and barriers should not be overlooked. Nevertheless, there are ample potential and perspectives to minimize GHG emission from the AFOLU sector. Therefore, in this chapter, the different sub-sectors of AFOLU are explored in terms of their emission status along with proper land and environment management including cost-effective mitigation measures, challenges and opportunities for making the AFOLU sector net zero or negative emitter of GHG.