Utilisation of Climate‐Smart Conservation Agriculture Practices for Improved Soil Carbon Sequestration, Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Sustainable Crop Productivity

ABSTRACT Intensive agriculture significantly contributes to climate change by exacerbating ecological issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion, fertility decline, pollution and biodiversity loss. Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a pivotal role in maintaining soil health, supporting crop development and enhancing the ecological services provided by soils. Retaining SOC is essential for sustainable agriculture and mitigating climate change impacts. Factors such as soil management practices, crop types, climate conditions and soil characteristics influence agriculture's role in the global carbon cycle. Conservation agriculture (CA), a sustainable farming system emphasising minimal soil disturbance, continuous soil cover, crop residue retention and diversified crop rotations, offers a promising solution to these challenges. CA has been widely studied for its potential to improve agroecosystem resilience and mitigation capabilities. However, gaps remain in understanding its effects on crop yield and environmental quality. This study presents a comprehensive and systematic review of CA's impact on SOC, greenhouse gas fluxes, soil quality and crop productivity. Through an extensive analysis of existing literature, the review highlights that CA practices significantly enhance soil properties, including physical (e.g., soil bulk density, water retention, aggregate stability), chemical (e.g., pH, nutrient availability, C:N ratio) and biological (e.g., microbial activity, enzymatic processes) aspects. These improvements are critical for maintaining soil health and boosting agroecosystem resilience to climate change. The findings underscore CA as an effective strategy for preserving SOC, improving soil quality, reducing agriculture's environmental footprint and enhancing climate change adaptation in agricultural systems.