A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF AFFORESTATION AND AGROFORESTRY OPTIONS FOR THE REDUCTION OF CARBON IN NIGERIA
*D.A. Pelemo1, W.O. Siyanbola1, F.O. Johnson-Fatokun1, F.A. Adesina2, A.O. Adegbulugbe1, and S. Oluwalana3
1 Centre for Energy Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. 2 Department of Geography, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. 3 Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. email: dpelemo@yahoo.com
Accepted in January 2004.
Abstract
This paper examines the relative efficiency of afforestation and agroforestry options in carbon sequestration using the COMAP model. The end use scenario which considers the wood needs of the country is adopted. The wood needs projected to year 2030 were used to estimate the land area required to prosecute the projects. The capability for carbon sequestration and the various costs and benefits of executing the two options were estimated. Items monetized include land, labour, seedling, product unit and tonnes of carbon. Except for sawlog plantation, the carbon pool (sequestered) under afforestation is consistently higher than for agroforestry programmes in the model runs. The results showed that afforestation programmes can pool about 175.2 tC/ha compared to 131.4 tC/ha in agroforestry. The total carbon stored in afforestation was about twice that of agroforestry. The figures are 638.6 and 316.6 MtC for afforestation and agroforestry, respectively. The study concludes that based on carbon flow pattern only, afforestation would be more rewarding if equal land area is used for both forestry programmes. However, because of the other benefits derivable from agroforestry projects such as improved soil fertility and the fact that greater opportunity for running agroforestry projects exist in practical terms in the country, a mix of the options is recommended for implantation depending on wood products targeted as well as the ecological zone for which the project is being planned.