Fact sheet of the project Estimation of greenhouse gas emissions in climate-smart villages: Context, objectives, location, partners, methodology, initial results and next steps. The Cauca climate-smart village (CSV) is led by Fundación Ecohabitats, with support from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)

1. JLUrrea(CCAFS)Smallholder farmers constitute 80% of the farms in Latin America and they are responsible for up to 67% of total regional
food production1
; yet, there is limited information on the contributions of their production systems to greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions, or how farmers can mitigate these emissions while at the same time receiving benefits from this.
The Latin American Greenhouse Gases Mitigation Network (LAMNET) seeks to tackle the challenge of a lack of reliable
information on GHG emissions from agriculture in tropical countries. Moreover, LAMNET will focus on estimating GHG
emissions from different production systems of the CCAFS’ climate-smart villages (CSVs) in Latin America.
1 FAO. 2014. Agricultura Familiar en América Latina y el Caribe: Recomendaciones de Política.
Estimation of greenhouse gas emissions in climate-smart
villages

2. Objectives
• Modeling GHG emissions of the main production
systems in the CSVs.
• Determining the mitigation potential of different
adaptation strategies in the CSVs by modeling GHG
emissions.
• Identifying which systems or practices within CSVs
generate the largest contributions to GHG emissions.
• Identifying GHG sinks or systems with potential to store
carbon.
Location
CSVs El Tuma-La Dalia (Nicaragua) and Cauca
(Colombia).
Partners
CIAT, Fundación Ecohabitats.
Methodology
Two GHG calculators, Cool Farm Tool and EX-ACT, were
used to quantify the mitigation potential of different
climate change adaptation strategies within the CSVs.
Initial results
Current results show that several changes in farm
management practices have both adaptation and
mitigation benefits like:
• Stopping burning waste.
• Proper management of crop residues.
• Reducing deforestation.
• Crop diversification with an organic approach.
• Increased reforestation (live fences and shade crops
associated with coffee).
Next steps
The estimation of GHG emissions in the CSVs can provide
critical information regarding the implementation of
more strategies to promote adaptation linked to farm
productivity.
Once the emission hotspots in the territories are identified,
GHG emissions will be measured with analytical methods
(gas chromatography) and GHG simulations will be
made with biogeochemical models such as the DNDC
(Denitrification-Decomposition) Model, with which we
will seek to study in greater detail strategies to reduce
emissions without compromising the system productivity.
More information
Ngonidzashe Chirinda, CIAT researcher
n.chirinda@cgiar.org
www.ccafs.cgiar.org
About CCAFS
The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), led by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT),
brings together some of the world’s best researchers in agricultural science, development research, climate science and Earth System science, to identify and
address the most important interactions, synergies and tradeoffs between climate change, agriculture and food security. www.ccafs.cgiar.org.
CCAFS Latin America
International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
Km. 17 Recta Cali-Palmira.
Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Led by