CEC research seminars - Climate-Smart agricultural production systems in Africa: current status, opportunities & needs

Abstract: The talk will focus on the agricultural systems integrated research and development work carried out within the Mazingira Centre at the International Livestock Research Institute in Kenya over the last 8 years.

Specific focus will be given to the environmental footprint of mixed-crop livestock systems in relation to its provisioning of multiple ecosystem services. Our findings show that emissions factors that are based on expert knowledge and not necessarily based on locally collected data overestimate the contribution of the agricultural sector to national greenhouse has inventories in East Africa. Simultaneously, emission intensities (emissions per unit of product) are considerably lower than estimated, while showing easy-to-implement management practices to improve the existing systems and thus contribute to food security and nutrition in the region.

We were also able to identify yet unaccounted hotspots of greenhouse gas emissions and initiated projects (together with colleagues from Lund university) that aim at bridging the scales between plot, field, ecosystem, farm and regional observations.

Drinks and snacks will be available after the talk -  a good opportunity to come and socialize with your colleagues!

Moderator: Natascha Kljun, Centre for Environmental and Climate Science.

If you would like to meet up with Lutz Merbold, please contact natascha [dot] kljun [at] cec [dot] lu [dot] se or yann [dot] clough [at] cec [dot] lu [dot] se

Register for this event.

Link to Lutz Merbolds profile (Agroscome.ch)

This event is co-organized by the Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC) and the national Strategic Research Area BECC theme Ecosystem services.