39. Assessing the current status of greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural production in some communities, Son La province

Abstract

Assessing the current status of greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural production is of great importance for achieving the Government’s emission reduction target by 2050. The study focuses on emissions from crop cultivation and livestock production, using secondary data and household interviews as research methods. The results show that: (i) The total greenhouse gas emissions from all five communes amounted to 377,541.2 tons CO₂-eq. Of this, crop cultivation accounted for the majority with 94.5 %, mainly due to CH₄ emissions from rice paddies; while livestock contributed 5.5 %, with key sources being enteric fermentation and manure management; (ii) Comparison among communes: Nam Lau recorded the highest emissions (198,052.7 tons CO₂-eq), representing 52.4 % of the total; Chieng Pha had the lowest emissions (81,936.6 tons CO₂-eq), though its emission structure remained similar to that of the other communes; Phong Lap and Bon Phang reported comparable emission levels (50,171.4 tons CO₂-eq and 26,344.6 tons CO₂-eq, respectively), with livestock contributing a higher proportion compared to the other communes; (iii) Regarding the emission structure: Rice cultivation contributed more than 350,000 tons CO₂-eq, corresponding to nearly 93 % of crop-related emissions, primarily CH₄; Enteric fermentation from beef cattle and buffalo represented the largest share in livestock, ranging from 3,000 - 6,000 tons CO₂-eq per commune, highlighting the role of ruminants in greenhouse gas emissions; Manure management from pigs and poultry also generated significant CH₄ and N₂O emissions; (iv) Urea fertilizer use caused 1,367.4 tons CO₂-eq, while biomass burning emitted NOx and CO at relatively low levels, but still requires control to reduce harmful gases; (v) The communes’ average emissions ranged from 20,000 - 200,000 tons CO₂-eq, depending on rice cultivation area and livestock scale. This study provides important contributions as a basis for establishing baseline emissions for mitigation and adaptation to climate change in the agriculture sectors of Son La province.