Contribution of tree cover to the compensation of greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms in the southeast of Guatemala

Abstract

Livestock activity contributes 6% of Guatemala's total GHG emissions (MARN, 2021), due among other aspects, to the predominance of traditional production systems. The objective of this study was to identify the main sources of GHG emissions and to determine the carbon balance in milk-producing farms in the southeastern region of Guatemala, where 30 farms with different levels of technological innovation were selected and where biophysical and socioeconomic information was collected to estimate GHG emissions using IPCC equations (IPCC, 2006). Carbon sequestration was estimated through the monitoring of temporary plots in different land uses. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and with a T-test for the comparison of high and low innovation systems. The main source of emission on the farms was enteric fermentation, followed by fertilization, fuels, manure and energy. In farms with low innovation the emission by enteric fermentation was higher (p=0.05) and in those with high innovation was fertilization. The intensity of emissions per unit of milk produced was lower in farms with high innovation, while for meat production they were those with low innovation. In both cases this was explained by higher productivity. Likewise, the 53% of the farms presented a positive carbon balance with an important contribution in the compensation of forests and scattered trees in paddocks. In farms with low innovation the contribution was 51 and 30% and in high innovation 48 and 26%, respectively. In dairy farms, the main source of emission was enteric fermentation. In addition, those with better management of tree cover (forests and silvopastoral systems) presented a positive carbon balance.