Soil carbon to go: Agroforestry practices including coffee sequester the highest amounts of soil C in mountainous Southern Ethiopia

Heidelberg

2025

16 S.

Sonderdruck

40005948

Agroforestry (AF) systems are considered more sustainable than conventional agriculture because high production and cover enhance carbon sequestration and water and nutrient retention. However, above- and below-ground carbon stocks in different traditional agroforestry systems and in relation to adjacent land use types remain poorly understood, especially in East Africa. This study evaluates the carbon sequestration potential of three agroforestry systems—coffee, enset, and khat—in the Sidama region of southern Ethiopia compared to cropland and eucalyptus woodlots. Ten plots per land use type were selected, and carbon stocks were assessed by estimating woody biomass using allometric equations, and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks by soil sampling to 60 cm depth. AF systems store significantly higher SOC than cropland and partially woodlots, with coffee-based AF systems sequestering the most carbon.
Keywords: Agroforestry practices, Carbon sequestration, Soil organic carbon, Ethiopian highlands, Coffee, Climate change mitigation