Biomass production in agroforestry and forestry systems on salt-affected soils in South Asia: Exploration of the GHG balance and economic performance of three case studies

Abstract

This study explores the greenhouse gas balance and the economic performance (i.e. net present value (NPV) and production costs) of agroforestry and forestry systems on salt-affected soils (biosaline (agro) forestry) based on three case studies in South Asia. The economic impact of trading carbon credits generated by biosaline (agro)forestry is also assessed as a potential additional source of income. The greenhouse gas balance shows carbon sequestration over the plantation lifetime of 24 Mg CO2-eq. ha1 in a rice-Eucalyptus camaldulensis agroforestry system on moderately saline soils in coastal Bangladesh (case study 1), 6 Mg CO2-eq. ha1 in the rice-wheat- Eucalyptus tereticornis agroforestry system on sodic/ saline-sodic soils in Haryana state, India (case study 2), and 96 Mg CO2-eq. ha1 in the compact tree (Acacia nilotica) plantation on saline-sodic soils in Punjab province of Pakistan. The NPV at a discount rate of 10% is 1.1 kV ha1 for case study 1, 4.8 kV ha1 for case study 2, and 2.8 kV ha1 for case study 3. Carbon sequestration translates into economic values that increase the NPV by 1e12% in case study 1, 0.1 e1% in case study 2, and 2e24% in case study 3 depending on the carbon credit price (1e15 V Mg1 CO2- eq.). The analysis of the three cases indicates that the economic performance strongly depends on the type and severity of salt-affectedness (which affect the type and setup of the agroforestry system, the tree species and the biomass yield), markets for wood products, possibility of trading carbon credits, and discount rate.