Meta-analytic evidence on effective farming practices for climate change mitigation

In the context of climate change, high expectations have been put on the agricultural sector for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance carbon sequestration. Consequently, a large and growing number of studies have evaluated the efficacy of various agricultural practices for climate change mitigation. However, the scientific evidence is often heterogeneous and frequently contradictory, making it difficult to use to support policy decisions. Meta-analyses synthesise large data sets and have become the gold standard for providing scientific evidence to inform environmental and agricultural policies. However, a growing number of meta-analyses are now available on a specific topic, occasionally with conflicting conclusions, requiring a further level of synthesis to consolidate the findings.

We present the results of a systematic review of 693 published meta-analyses on the effect of farming practices on climate change mitigation. After a systematic search and review of the literature, we extracted data assessing the climate impacts of 34 farming practices and 123 comparisons of sub-practices with corresponding control practices, for a wide range of cropping and livestock systems around the world. From this dataset, we selected the farming practices that showed overall significantly positive effects on the reduction of GHG emission and/or on the increase of carbon sequestration. For cropland and grassland, we were able to identify a set of 35 mitigation sub-practices , including cover and catch crops, intercropping, leguminous crops, the use of enhanced efficiency fertilisers, soil amendment with lime and gypsum, different crop residue management techniques, water management practices, different conservation, restoration and management measures in grasslands, conservation and restoration of peatlands and wetlands, the conservation and creation of landscape features, as well as organic farming systems. For livestock, we identified seven effective mitigation practices, including livestock feeding techniques, manure land application techniques, manure storage techniques. A limited number meta-analyses reported the effect of a given practice on more than one GHG or on GHGs coupled with carbon sequestration together, limiting the exploration of interacting effects.

The systematic evidence map provides robust and encompassing literature based evidence on farming practices with established positive effect on climate change mitigation to support a wide community of inventory compilers, modellers and policymakers. Our review also identifies farming practices with remaining knowledge gaps and research priorities.