Agricultural Cropping Systems in South Africa and Their Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Review

Abstract

South Africa is a major emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and accounts for 65% and 7% of Africa’s total emissions and agricultural emissions, respectively. South Africa has a dual agricultural economy, comprising a well-developed commercial sector and subsistence-oriented farming in the rural areas. The country has an intensive management system of agricultural lands. Agriculture, forestry and other land use sector is the second largest producer of GHG emissions in the country with 12% of the national total emissions. This review presents characteristics of GHG emissions from crop management in South Africa. It establishes trends of emissions from data collated from the literature. Main sources of GHG emissions from cropping systems in South Africa are maize, sorghum, wheat and sugarcane productions. Although the emissions from the application of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertiliser to agricultural land show a slight decrease with time, this remains the main sources of emissions from cropping systems in the country. On the other hand, national emissions from urea fertiliser are increasing. Emissions from management of crop residues are low. Conversion of land to croplands is a net source of CO₂ emissions in South Africa. Lack of investment in biofuels and production preference given to previously disadvantaged farmers has slowed their uptake. All stakeholders have to contribute actively to address the current poor status of linkages between agricultural research and policy in the country in order to reduce the current growth of agricultural emissions.