Carbon storage in Ghanaian cocoa ecosystems

Mohammed, A. M., Robinson, J. S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1045-4412, Midmore, D. and Verhoef, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9498-6696 (2016) Carbon storage in Ghanaian cocoa ecosystems. Carbon Balance and Management, 11. 6. ISSN 1750-0680 doi: 10.1186/s13021-016-0045-x

Abstract/Summary

Background: The recent inclusion of the cocoa sector as an option for carbon storage necessitates the need to quantify the C stocks in cocoa systems of Ghana. Results: Using farmers’ fields, the carbon (C) stocks in shaded and unshaded cocoa systems selected from the Eastern (ER) and Western (WR) regions of Ghana were measured. Total ecosystem C (biomass C + soil C to 60 cm depth) ranged from 81.8 to 153.9 Mg C/ha. The bulk (~89 %) of the systems’ C stock was stored in the soils. The total C stocks were higher in the WR (137.8 ± 8.6 Mg C/ha) than ER (95.7 ± 8.6 Mg C/ha). Conclusion: Based on the cocoa cultivation area of 1.45 million hectares, the cocoa sector in Ghana potentially could store 118.6–223.2 Gg C in cocoa systems with cocoa systems aged within 30 years regardless of shade management. Thus, the decision to include the cocoa sector in the national carbon accounting emissions budget of Ghana is warranted.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/65908
Identification Number/DOI	10.1186/s13021-016-0045-x
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Earth Systems Science Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Crop Science
Uncontrolled Keywords	Carbon stocks, Cocoa ecosystem, Shaded and unshaded cocoa systems
Publisher	SpringerOpen
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item