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The Bioeconomics of Conservation Agriculture and Soil Carbon Sequestration in Developing Countries

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  • Akpalu, Wisdom
  • Anders, Ekbom

Abstract

Improving soil carbon through conservation agriculture in developing countries may generate some private benefits to farmers, as well as sequester carbon emissions, which is a positive externality to society. Leaving crop residue on the farm has become an important option in conservation agriculture practice. However, in developing countries, using crop residue for conservation agriculture has the opportunity cost of feed for livestock. In this paper, we model and develop an expression for an optimum economic incentive that is necessary to internalize the positive externality. A crude value of the tax is calculated using data from Kenya. We also empirically investigated the determinants of the crop residue left on the farm and found that it depends on the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soil, the prices of maize, whether extension officers visit the plot or not, household size, the level of education of the household head, and alternative cost of soil conservation.

Suggested Citation

  • Akpalu, Wisdom & Anders, Ekbom, 2010. "The Bioeconomics of Conservation Agriculture and Soil Carbon Sequestration in Developing Countries," RFF Working Paper Series dp-10-07-efd, Resources for the Future.
    • Handle: RePEc:rff:dpaper:dp-10-07-efd
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    File URL: http://www.rff.org/RFF/documents/EfD-DP-10-07.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Akpalu, Wisdom & Parks, Peter J., 2007. "Natural resource use conflict: gold mining in tropical rainforest in Ghana," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(1), pages 55-72, February.
    2. Panayotou, Theodore & Sachs, Jeffrey D. & Zwane, Alix Peterson, 2002. "Compensation for "Meaningful Participation" in Climate Change Control: A Modest Proposal and Empirical Analysis," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 43(3), pages 437-454, May.
    3. Hartell, Jason G., 2004. "Pricing Benefit Externalities of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Multifunctional Agriculture," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 36(2), pages 1-15, August.
    4. John M. Antle & Bocar Diagana, 2003. "Creating Incentives for the Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Developing Countries: The Role of Soil Carbon Sequestration," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 85(5), pages 1178-1184.
    5. Hartell, Jason G., 2004. "Pricing Benefit Externalities of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Multifunctional Agriculture," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 36(2), pages 491-505, August.
    6. Graff-Zivin, Joshua & Lipper, Leslie, 2008. "Poverty, risk, and the supply of soil carbon sequestration," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(3), pages 353-373, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Pannell, David J. & Llewellyn, Rick S. & Corbeels, Marc, 2013. "The farm-level economics of conservation agriculture for resource-poor farmers," Working Papers 166526, University of Western Australia, School of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    conservation agriculture; soil carbon; climate change; bioeconomics; Kenya;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy
    • Q24 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Land
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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