The New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Research is now seeking expressions of interest for the international research fund set up by New Zealand in support of the objectives of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases and its Livestock Research Group.
The Fund is aimed at accelerating global research in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from pastoral livestock farming by seeking solutions to four grand Research Challenges viz:
Research that leads to the development of practical and safe ways to manipulate rumen microbial communities and/or ruminant physiology in grazing ruminants such that methane per unit of feed intake is sustainably reduced, animal health and nutrition is maintained and animal productivity maintained or increased.
Reducing nitrous oxide emissions from soils in predominantly grazing livestock systems
Research that will further develop and extend practical and cost effective methods of manipulating nitrification and de-nitrification processes in soils to consistently reduce nitrous oxide emissions and nitrogen losses to the environment from soils under grazing livestock and within a broad range of geographic and climatic conditions.
Manipulating the rates of soil carbon change in predominantly grazing livestock systems
Research which identifies and quantifies management practices that can increase long-term soil carbon storage in grazing livestock systems under varying (and changing) climatic conditions, different soil conditions and management histories while maintaining or increasing pasture and animal productivity.
Improved tools for farmer decision making in predominantly grazing livestock systems
The creation of scientifically proven, well quantified and practically relevant decision support tools that will allow farmers to implement farm management practices (e.g. improved feeding, improved genetics, improved animal health, greenhouse gas mitigation technologies, enhanced soil carbon storage etc), individually and collectively, that would demonstrably reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of output in grazing livestock systems. These tools need to be underpinned by research that addresses gaps in our current knowledge and considers the full range of physical, economic, social and environmental drivers and constraints on farm operations, as well as supply-chain impacts.
FUND SIZE
The Fund is worth NZ$25 million over four years (ending 30 June 2016). The portfolio of projects that the Fund will support will balance innovative science with the achievement of cost-effective, practical and sustainable solutions for pastoral livestock farmers
ELIGIBILITY
The fund is open to international scientists, and it is hoped that multi-stakeholder/country consortia bids will be put forward. International co-funding is a requirement. Projects can be led by a New Zealand participant or one from an Alliance member country but must include a New Zealand partner.
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