Abstract
Year of Publication 2012
Purpose –
The present study seeks to evaluate the role of village bamboo management in
the rural landscape of North East India in global climate change mitigation.
Design/methodology/approach – A
set of 100 home gardens and 40 bamboo groves were selected from Irongmara and
Dargakona village, in Cachar district, Assam, North East India through random sampling.
Sampling was done mostly for smallholders. Culm growth, carbon storage, carbon sequestration
and carbon in litter floor mass and soil of bamboo growing areas in homegarden
was explored from 2003-2007.
Findings –
Culm growth extension revealed the brief periodicity of culm growth in a single
growth period. Of the total carbon storage soil contributed 84.6 per cent of
the total (50.1 Mg ha-1) followed by carbon in above ground
vegetation 15 per cent (9Mg ha-1) and carbon in litter floor mass
0.4 per cent (0.2 Mg ha-1).
Practical
implications – Bamboo plantation development and its
management in home gardens has social, ecological and economical benefits for
the rural life in North East India and its promotion can become an effective
choice for climate change mitigation strategy.
Originality/value –
Bamboo forms an important component in the traditional home garden system of
North East India where the practice of bamboo cultivation and management
provides an important sink for CO2. Village bamboos play an
important role in local economics, societies and environments and, considering
its potential to mitigate global climate change, the authors recommend the
promotion of bamboo in agroforestry expanding practices and rehabilitation of
degraded lands. Management of village bamboos in rural landscape is highlighted
in context to environmental sustainability and as a sink measure under the
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of Kyoto Protocol.
Keywords Carbon
storage, Carbon sequestration, Environmental sustainability, Village bamboos, Carbon,
Climate change, Agriculture, India
Paper type Case study
Authors Arun Jyoti Nath and Ashesh Kumar Das
Journal Name and Issue: International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and
Management 4 (2):
201-215