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By expanding underexploited agricultural strategies, smallholder farmers can mitigate climate change, increase their resilience to climate change impacts and boost their profits from agricultural production, new research has revealed. Using crop and livestock model simulations and household survey data across Kenya's diverse climate zones, researchers from IFPRI, ILRI, the Kenya Agriculture Research Institute (KARI) and the University of Georgia (US) identified a number of these 'triple-win' strategies. The combined application of inorganic fertiliser, mulch, and manure – which simultaneously enhances crop yields, increases soil carbon stocks, and boosts profits – was identified as one of the most effective triple-win strategies. The use of higher quality feeds for livestock, which boosts profits and decreases methane emissions, is another important strategy. The researchers state that Kenya and other countries in sub-Sahara Africa must integrate triple-win agricultural strategies into their national climate change action plans. (New Agriculturalist, 11/2011)
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