ABSTRACT
Conservation agriculture (CA) aims to conserve, improve and make more efficient use of natural resources through integrated management of available soil, water and biological resources combined with external inputs. The CA contributes to global environmental conservation as well as to enhanced and sustained agricultural production and can play a central role in global agricultural policy. Food security and sustainability are important for all citizens. Agriculture, the major industry for food and fiber production, is known to cause emission and storage of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Intensification of agricultural production has been an important factor influencing GHG emission and affecting the water balance. Agricultural activities contribute to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions released to the atmosphere through the combustion of fossil fuel, soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and biomass burning. Improved CA practices, especially in waterlimited areas, have great potential to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, available water storage, and decrease net emissions of CO2 and other GHGs.
