Analysis of carbon sequestration in Shankargarh block under high impact mega watershed project, Chhattisgarh
Globally, agricultural systems face the challenge of balancing three critical priorities: increasing productivity to meet rising food demand, adapting to climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to the Global Carbon Atlas 2020, India ranks third in total GHG emissions, contributing approximately 2.6 billion tonnes (BT) of CO₂-equivalent annually.
The agriculture, forestry, and land use (AFOLU) sector contributes 14% of this total. While the sector’s share of emissions has declined from 28% in 1994 to 14% in 2016, absolute emissions from agriculture have risen to about 650 million tonnes (Mt) of CO₂-equivalent in 2018, with paddy cultivation alone accounting for a significant portion.
The Green Revolution (GR) ushered in the dominance of the rice-wheat cropping system in India, covering 48% of the country’s 185 million hectares of gross cropped area. The introduction of High-Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds, heavy subsidies on fertilizers and irrigation, and government procurement policies under Minimum Support Price (MSP) have led to the marginalization of traditional crops like indigenous paddy, pulses, oilseeds, and millets.
In the Central Indian Tribal Belt, where smallholders constitute 85% of farm holdings and nearly 90% of net sown area is rain-dependent, paddy cultivation has expanded into upland areas, replacing short-duration pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables. This transition has resulted in a host of environmental challenges, including groundwater depletion, soil degradation, increased pest infestations, straw residue burning, and excessive fossil fuel use. Moreover, the shift to a calorie-centric diet has exacerbated micronutrient deficiencies, with more than 50% of women remaining anemic (NFHS-5).
To ensure sustainable agriculture and climate resilience, India must adopt resource-efficient methods, diversify cropping patterns, and enhance scientific knowledge dissemination. A transition from paddy-centric farming to climate-smart crops such as pulses, oilseeds, and millets is crucial. These crops are more resource-efficient, require less water, improve soil fertility, and fetch high market value. More importantly, they contribute significantly to reducing CO₂ emissions compared to paddy, making them a strategic choice for climate mitigation.
The Role of MGNREGA in Carbon Sequestration
In India, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has been instrumental in improving rural livelihoods and natural resource management (NRM). Research suggests that MGNREGA interventions, particularly in NRM, contribute significantly to carbon sequestration. The study "Estimation of Carbon Sequestration under MGNREGA: Achievement and Potential in India" by DFID highlights the potential of leveraging MGNREGA for climate-resilient poverty alleviation.
Carbon Sequestration Analysis in Shankargarh Block, Chhattisgarh
A case study conducted in Shankargarh block of Balrampur district, Chhattisgarh, examined the impact of MGNREGA investments on carbon sequestration. Over the past five years, 2,564 Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) structures have been implemented under MGNREGA at a cost of ₹62 crore. These interventions have led to significant carbon sequestration outcomes:
- Annual Carbon Sequestration: 379 tonnes of carbon (tc) per year
- Total Biomass Carbon Sequestration (over the five-year period): 1,137 tc
- Social Cost of Carbon (based on US valuation of $185 per ton): $210,345
- Equivalent Value in INR: ₹1.75 crore (at an exchange rate of $1 = ₹83.31)
Financial and Environmental Implications
The MGNREGA-driven NRM interventions have not only enhanced water availability and rural livelihoods but also generated carbon sequestration worth ₹1.75 crore. This underscores the program’s potential as a climate resilience tool beyond its conventional role as a rural employment guarantee scheme.
Scaling Up for Climate Resilience
While MGNREGA has traditionally been viewed as a social security measure for rural employment, its role in climate mitigation needs further exploration. The experience from Shankargarh suggests that integrating natural resource management into MGNREGA can significantly contribute to India’s climate commitments, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for net-zero emissions and doubling sequestration by 2070.
By investing ₹0.25 crore per year in programmatic interventions, a recurring annual carbon sequestration potential of ₹0.58 crore has been created. This validates the economic and environmental viability of scaling up such initiatives.
Conclusion
The findings from Shankargarh block reaffirm that MGNREGA can serve as a powerful climate action tool beyond its wage employment objectives. By leveraging MGNREGA and other programmatic investments, India can enhance carbon sequestration, promote sustainable agriculture, and improve rural livelihoods simultaneously.
Given the growing urgency to combat climate change, integrating carbon sequestration strategies into large-scale rural development programs like MGNREGA is not just an option but a necessity. The success of such interventions in Chhattisgarh provides a replicable model for other states, aligning economic growth with environmental sustainability.
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Kuntal Mukherjee is an agricultural expert and carbon auditor based in Chhattisgarh since 2010. With a Master’s in Agriculture, he has been associated with the development sector since 2005, working with PRADAN. Mukherjee has spent the last 20 years focusing on natural resource management, rural livelihoods, and community mobilization. From 2018 to 2024, he served as the State Team Lead for the High Impact Watershed Project in Chhattisgarh
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