Assessing the carbon footprint of marginal and smallholders farming systems: A typology driven approach

Agriculture is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with practices such as fertilizer application, soil tillage, and livestock management releasing carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4). To meet the demands of a growing population, it is essential to identify agricultural practices that boost food production while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation. This study aimed to quantify GHG emissions from various farm typologies of marginal and smallholder households in the western regions of Tamil Nadu, India, using the Cool Farm Tool (CFT). Data was collected from 250 households in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Erode districts during 2022-2023 and farm typologies were identified through multivariate analysis, revealing four farm types: (i) cereal crop-dominated marginal farms, (ii) livestock-dominated marginal farms, (iii) cash crop-dominated marginal farms, and (iv) plantation crop-dominated small farms. The results show that cash crop and plantation crop dominated farms had the highest emissions, particularly from crop residue burning, fertilizer production and fertilizer application. In contrast, cereal crop-dominated farms recorded lower emissions. Livestock dominated farm type exhibited higher GHG emission from enteric fermentation and manure management due to higher number of livestock. The results of this study highlight the importance of developing farm-specific mitigation strategies to reduce emissions. The study also underscores the value of using tools such as CFT for comprehensive GHG quantification to ensure sustainable agricultural practices.