The importance of calculating carbon stocks in the agricultural sector

Pablo H. Plá, CEO San Miguel

Published on May 17, 2023 in the Cronista.

The climate factor is one of the components with the greatest impact on food production. The agricultural sector is undoubtedly one of the sectors with the greatest experience in adapting to climate variability.

Historically, it has modified its cultural management based on observed changes in the environment.

However, there is a difference between climate variability and climate change, which substantially modifies the way it is approached.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in its article 1°, defines climate change as the composition of the global atmosphere in addition to observed natural climate variability.

The ultimate objective of the UNFCCC is to achieve stabilisation of greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

This level should be achieved within a timeframe sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to allow economic development to continue in a sustainable manner.

In this sense, Fundación ProYungas has been encouraging companies in the citrus sector to measure and quantify the carbon stock in the wild areas that make up their properties, as well as measuring the same content in citrus plantations.

The carbon stock value calculated in these areas constitutes the cumulative amount of carbon that was removed from the atmosphere and fixed in the vegetation. It can thus be assumed that the citrus companies, through conservation actions in the wild areas and good management practices in the productive areas, maintain these carbon sinks in optimal conditions and ensure their sustainability.

The calculation of the carbon stock contained in citrus plantations is an incipient subject at a global level, so there is no consensus on study methodologies or application protocols.

In order to calculate the company's carbon stock, San Miguel used the IPCC's general guidelines on CO2 capture and pre-existing studies on carbon stock in citrus groves in other countries.

San Miguel's commitment to the environment, both in its operations and in its climate strategy, is a priority, and that is why the company's carbon stock was calculated based on the general guidelines on CO2 capture of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and pre-existing studies on carbon stock in citrus groves in other countries.

The result shows that 61% of the land of the plantation located in Tucumán is conserved as native forest. The measurement and quantification of the carbon stock of wild areas such as citrus plantations constitutes the accumulated amount of carbon that was removed from the atmosphere and fixed in the vegetation.

From the studies carried out together with Proyungas Foundation, it can be seen that the organisation has a stock of carbon stored in the citrus plantations of Finca Caspinchango of 75.92 tn/ha and an annual rate of carbon fixation in the citrus plantations of Finca Caspinchango of 3.4 tn/ha/year.

This work has been carried out year after year in a sustained manner. Ensuring the sustainability and conservation of the biosphere is a priority and that is why we encourage all companies in the sector to join the Carbon Stock Calculation to contribute together to a better world before it is too late.