Biomass carbon stock change from major crops cultivated on agricultural land in Sarawak

• Main Authors: Peng, E.K., Malek, M.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2019

In the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, the cultivation of both perennial and annual crops on logged-over forests and areas used for shifting cultivation has led to land use change processes, as well as significant loss of biomass carbon stock. This study aims to identify the current carbon emission by assessing the changes in biomass carbon stocks of crops such as coconut and sago, together with cocoa, pepper, rubber and oil palm established in Sarawak during the period 2002 to 2013. Changes in planted areas of the crops are presented in order to illustrate variations in land modification throughout the years and their effects on carbon emission. Due to the fact that there is lack of country-specific emission factor in Malaysia, changes in biomass carbon stocks of the crops of interest were estimated by utilizing Tier 1 methodology of 2006 IPCC Guidelines. It was found that the changes in biomass carbon stocks of crops increased steadily with the rise in cultivation area of crops resulting from land clearing. Among the six crops studied, carbon released from oil palm establishment area is the highest as compared to cocoa which exhibited the lowest carbon emission. Carbon emitted from change in biomass carbon stocks of oil palm ranges from 207kt C/year to 721kt C/year, which is significantly larger than carbon released from biomass carbon stocks change of cocoa, which is 1.3 to 3.6 kt C/year. © 2018 IAEME Publication.