The role of agriculture in carbon sequestration: management practices, determining factors, and challenges – a review

Climate change, largely driven by rising concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), has become a major global concern. Agriculture contributes significantly to these emissions but also holds great potential as a carbon sink through the sequestration of carbon in soils and vegetation. Carbon sequestration in agricultural systems primarily occurs through biological processes that store atmospheric CO₂ in soil organic matter and plant biomass, thereby mitigating climate change while also enhancing soil fertility, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience. Management practices such as conservation tillage, agroforestry, application of organic amendments, cover cropping, crop rotations, precision farming, and improved grazing systems have been shown to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and deliver multiple co-benefits, including improved soil structure, greater water retention, reduced erosion, and higher crop productivity. Despite these advantages, the widespread adoption of sequestration practices faces several challenges, including limited soil carbon storage capacity, the risk of carbon loss if practices are discontinued, high variability across soils and climates, costly and complex monitoring systems, insufficient policy and institutional support. Effective solutions depend on integrated efforts involving scientific research, policy development, and farmer participation. This study contributes to and achieves this goal through specific land and crop management practices that enhance the storage of organic carbon in soils and vegetation, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and improve overall ecosystem health.