{"id":11941,"date":"2023-10-28T13:34:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-28T12:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriculturelore.com\/?p=11941"},"modified":"2023-10-28T13:34:02","modified_gmt":"2023-10-28T12:34:02","slug":"what-percentage-of-greenhouse-gases-are-produced-by-agriculture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.agriculturelore.com\/what-percentage-of-greenhouse-gases-are-produced-by-agriculture\/","title":{"rendered":"What Percentage Of Greenhouse Gases Are Produced By Agriculture"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Agriculture is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. In fact, it is responsible for around 24 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This percentage has increased steadily over the past few decades and is expected to continue to grow as population and demand for food increases. The most significant sources of these greenhouse gases are methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide.<\/p>\n

Methane is generated by livestock and paddy rice fields, while nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide both come from fertilizer application, crop and pasture burning, and soil management. Methane is often produced through the breakdown of organic matter in food production systems and the release of nitrous oxide during the denitrification of nitrogen fertilizer. Meanwhile, carbon dioxide is produced in the burning of crop residues and biomass for energy.<\/p>\n

The destruction of forests for agriculture is also another major contributor to the production of greenhouse gases. It is estimated that deforestation accounts for around 18 percent of all emissions from human activities, with much of this coming from the conversion of forests to cropland or pasture. The destruction of peatlands and other wetlands also contributes significantly to global emissions, releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere.<\/p>\n

It is clear that agriculture has, and will continue to be, a major contributor to the emissions of greenhouse gases. To reduce this impact, practices such as sustainable farming, efficient fertilizer and water use, establishing protected areas, and reducing deforestation must be adopted. Additionally, technologies that capture and store carbon should be further developed, and applied on a large-scale.<\/p>\n