Comparative analysis of monocropping and mixed cropping systems on selected soil properties, soil organic carbon stocks, and simulated maize yields in drought-hotspot regions of Rwanda.

Rainfed agriculture which is the mainstay of the Rwandan economy has been severely affected by prolonged droughts and climate change impacts, resulting in severe food insecurity. In the Eastern Province, the adoption of monocropping (MnC) systems at dissent driven by the CIP may critically worsen the rain-fed agricultural gains against mixed cropping (MxC) systems in drought conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze and compare soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and simulated maize biomass and grain yields under MnC and MxC systems in Kayonza District, Rwanda.

Carbon stock under major land use/land cover types of Hades sub-watershed, eastern Ethiopia.

Background: Developing land management scenarios that have the potential to sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gasses (GHG) emission on a sustainable basis entails quantifying the current carbon stock under different land uses. In light of this, a study was conducted in Hades sub-watershed, eastern Ethiopia, to explore the carbon stock under four major land uses: natural forest, coffee agroforestry, grazing land and cropland, involving samples from four carbon pools: aboveground, belowground, litter, and soil. To this end, vegetation and soil samples were collected from the respective land uses following recommended procedures.