Learning Event No 12, Session 2 From Agriculture and Rural Development Day (ARDD) 2011

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT DAY, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA 3RD DECEMBER 2011

Climate change and agriculture – Danish results and initiatives

John Hermansen, Dept Agroecology Aarhus University

Denmark


Livestock density in Denmark (livestock units per ha)

Livestock units (LSU) totally in 2003 Per ha cultivated land (excl. set-aside)

LSU/ha LSU/ha LSU/ha

LSU/ha LSU/ha

LSU/ha LSU/ha

Among the countries in the world with largest proportion of land utilized for agriculture

Per ha agriculture land

•  1800 kg of milk

•  750 kg of pork


•  Average size of holdings approx 70 ha

•  Specialized farms

•  Typical dairy holding

•  140 dairy cows with 9000 kg milk per cow

•  Typical sow herd

•  360 sows each producing 28 piglets per year

Danish Agriculture


1990 2000 2010

Agricultural land, % of total 65 63 62

Milk 4600 4600 4600

Beef 224 156 130

Pork 1444 1672 1900

Cereal 9200 9200 9100

Development in Danish agricultural production (000’ ton/year)


Focus on agriculture and environment for many years

•  Ban on burning of straw on fields

•  Action Plans for the aquatic Environment

•  Ammonia Action Plan

•  Action Plan for Joint Biogas Plants

•  Environmental Approval Act for Livestock Holdings

•  New Energy Policy Agreement, supporting biogas

•  Agreement on Green Growth 2009: Reduction of the agricultural sector’s

emissions of greenhouse gasses.


Achievements in resource efficiency following action plans for nitrogen use and manure handling

Year 1980 2010

Share of agricultural land, % 66 62

Production, 000’ t

•  Milk 4900 4600

•  Pork 1000 1900

Consumption, 000’ t

•  Fertilizer N 400 210

•  Feed N 80 70


GHG emissions from Danish agriculture was markedly reduced 1990-2010

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

Kulstof

Lattergas

Methan

CO2-

eq (

mill

. to

n)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

Kulstof

Lattergas

Methan

Carbon (net)

Nitrous oxides

Methane


•  Further reduction of N to aquatic environment

•  Reduced GHG emission 0.8 mill t/year

•  Support to increased land for nature

•  Agriculture as supplier of green energy

•  Increased area with organic agriculture

•  Support to environmental and climate friendly technologies

•  Increased focus on high value food chains

•  Work for greening the Common Agricultural Policy

Governmental initiative 2009 - Green growth in the agricultural sector


Estimated effect of major measures on GHG emissions (mill ton CO2-eq per year by 2020)

Present emissions from agriculture 10.0 Increased use of manure for biogas (less emissions and saved fossil energy)

0.8

Short rotation willow crops and biomass from maintenance of semi-natural lowland areas (saved fossil energy and soil carbon)

0.5

After Dalgaard et al 2011


Example of management options to reduce Green House Gas emissions in pork

-1 0 1 2 3 4

Denmark 2010 (3.1)

Feed efficiency (2.8)

pH reduction in manure (2.7)

Manure for biogas (2.0)

kg CO2e - per kg pork

Manure

Feed

Energy stb.

Emisions stb.

Slaughter


Management options to reduce environmental impact of pork production, per kg carcass weight

Base 2010

Feed efficiency pH reduc. manure

Biogas

Global Warming, kg CO2 e 3.1 2.8 2.7 2.0

Acidification, g SO2 e 56 51 31 56

Eutrophication, g NO3 e 243 220 217 236

Fossil energy, MJ 21 20 21 11

Land use , m2 5.8 5.3 5.8 5.8


Carbon sinks and sources in agriculture

Year 1990 2009

Net CO 2 emission, mill ton CO 2-eq

Cropland management 3.2 1.4

Grazing land management 0.3 0.2

Total 3.5 1.6

Forecast: stabilized soil carbon Denmarks National Inventory Report 2011


Conclusion

•  Agriculture has an important role in mitigating GHG-emission

•  Increased resource efficiency is one key element that at the same time reduce GHG and allows economic growth

•  Targeted non-food biomass production may combine overall environmental protection with energy production

•  Agricultural practice can be changed to ensure long term soil carbon sequestration

•  The role of agriculture in climate change should be acknowledged and initiatives to support this role should be high on the agenda


Monitoring changes in soil carbon from 1987 and onwards to stimulate to carbon sequestration practises

•  464 locations

•  Three depths

•  Determined by high

resolution GPS technique

Learning Event No 12, Session 2 From Agriculture and Rural Development Day (ARDD) 2011

Education

Transcript of Learning Event No 12, Session 2 From Agriculture and Rural Development Day (ARDD) 2011