ABSTRACT
The impact of modern agriculture on the environment in general and our climate in particular has become a major global concern. Population growth and expanding demand for agricultural products constantly increase the pressure on production systems and ecosystem resources and cause environmental problems. A major issue of concern for many intensively managed agricultural systems with high external inputs is how to increase the resource-use efficiency, especially for agricultural inputs such as nitrogen. A high input combined with limited efficiency in growth and uptake ultimately results in environmental problems such as eutrophication and high emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Consequently, there is a need for a transition of current agricultural systems into highly resourceuse efficient systems that are productive, but at the same time ecologically sound, socially acceptable and climate smart. As a certain extent of future climate change is inevitable – as a result of historical emissions – ‘climate smart’ entails not only reduced GHG emissions from agriculture but also adaptation of agricultural systems to a changed climate.
