The CLIFF-GRADS program – a joint initiative of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) and Mitigate+: Research for Low Emissions Food Systems (Mitigate+) – strives to narrow the capacity gap on climate change research in the Global South. It offers doctoral students from low- and middle-income countries opportunities to enhance their research skills. A network of 176 researchers from 37 countries has emerged from CLIFF-GRADS; several have taken up roles in international initiatives relevant to climate mitigation in agricultural systems.
We bring countries together to find ways to grow more food without growing greenhouse gas emissions.
Latest News
This second call is open for submission of proposals until 28 July 2023.
On 10 May 2023, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for research and innovation Martin Heydon, joined the New Zealand Minister for Agriculture, Damien O’Connor M.P. to launch the second Ireland – New Zealand Joint Research Call on agriculture and climate change. The two Ministers made the announcement following a bilateral meeting held during the Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate Summit in Washington DC.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries launched the first joint call in 2022, following the signing of a Memorandum of Arrangement between both organisations in May 2022. This provided for the establishment a 3-year pilot Joint Research Initiative (JRI) over the period 2022 to 2024 in recognition of the strong existing research connections and the common challenges facing the agri-food sectors in both Ireland and New Zealand. Over €7 million in joint funding was awarded to four research projects in the 2022 Call.
Full press release HERE
2023 Ireland – New Zealand Joint Research Call
The 2023 Joint Research Call between Ireland and New Zealand opened on 10 May 2023 at 12:00 (IST) and invites eligible Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) from Ireland to submit joint research proposals, with collaborating partners from New Zealand.
There are four research topics in the Call:
- Topic 1: Land management on organic agricultural soils to support the development of GHG mitigation and Carbon sequestration
- Topic 2: Refinement of agricultural GHG emissions inventories through the development of emission factors for Methane, Nitrous Oxide and Carbon Dioxide
- Topic 3: Identification and development of technologies for the mitigation of greenhouse gases from ruminant systems
- Topic 4: Digitalisation and data to support climate-related action and management practices in agriculture
More details can be found here: Ireland – New Zealand Joint Research Mechanism
Two webinars for applicants will be held jointly by DAFM and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) for interested Irish and New Zealand researchers to provide an overview about all relevant aspects of the Call and provide time to answer open questions. These will be held on:
- 18th May 2023 at 10:00 NZT (webinar hosted by MPI for New Zealand applicants)
- 25th May 2023 at 10:00 IST (webinar hosted by DAFM for Irish applicants – register here)
The Irish financial support for the 2023 Ireland-New Zealand Joint Research Call is being provided through the DAFM Research Programme
Call Timeline
The Joint Research Call follows a one-stage submission procedure with a deadline for the submission of full proposals on 28th July 2023 . Indicative Research Call timelines are outlined below.
| 10 May 2023 at 12:00 IST | Launch of the Joint Research Call |
| 18th May 2023 at 10:00 NZT | Webinar for potential applicants |
| 25th May 2023 at 10:00 IST | Webinar for potential applicants |
| 28th July 2023 | Submission Deadline for proposals |
| October 2023 | Communication of Funding Decision |
| November 2023 | Funding awarded and announcement of successful projects |
| Jan 2024 to Mar 2024 | Estimated Starting Date for Funded Projects |
Closing date: 19 May 2023
Location: Technical University of Munich, Germany
Click on the titles below, or download the relevant files, to learn more about the positions and how to apply.
Postdoctoral position (m/f/d) modelling livestock systems
This research project will study the productivity of livestock, grasslands and key links to biogeochemical cycles. We conduct both empirical and modelling work in the Gran Chaco of Argentina through collaboration with researchers from the National Research Council (CONICET), and in Kenya and Tanzania in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and other African and European research partners.
PhD position (m/f/d) Nutrient cycling and carbon storage in grazed systems
This doctoral research project will study productivity grasslands and key links to nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and and species diversity. The field work will take place in the dry forest ecosystem of the Gran Chaco of Argentina, in collaboration with researchers from CONICET, the Argentinean national research council.
PhD position (m/f/d) Tropical grasslands restoration
This doctoral position will generate empirical evidence to understand the functioning of grazing systems in Kenya where livestock graze with large mammals. This research project will examine the potential to use grazing duration and intensity and manipulation of plant species to assess the potential for grassland restoration. The experiments will assess the effects of grazing on productivity and stability of grasslands, aiming to detect early restoration success. This work is conducted in close collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and their network of partners.
June 2023
Workshop: AgMIP9
About AgMIP The Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) was founded in 2010 with the goal of building a worldwide community of agricultural modelers and stakeholders committed to improving the state of agricultural assessments for the years ahead. AgMIP Global workshops bring together this international community of scientists developing the next generation of integrated model systems that can inform decisions including the implementation of sustainable agricultural systems and assessments of food security in a changing world. The combination of…
Find out more »September 2023
Livestock Research Group Annual Meeting
The 2023 GRA Livestock Research Group Annual Meeting will be held in conjunction with the EAAP/WAAP conference in Lyon. Further information, including registration instructions and a detailed meeting agenda, will be sent out closer to the time. Note: This is an invitation only meeting. If you have not received any information about this meeting to date, and you are a LRG member or represent a GRA Partner, please contact the GRA Secretariat.
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Conference: RAMIRAN 2023
Managing organic resources in a changing environmentThe 18th international RAMIRAN conference will be held in the historic university city of Cambridge, UK, from 12–14 September 2023. Recycling of Agricultural, Municipal and Industrial Residues in Agriculture Network (RAMIRAN) is a research and expertise network that was set up more than 25 years ago to improve nutrient utilisation and minimise the environmental impact of livestock manure and other organic material used in agricultural systems. This conference was last held in 2017 and…
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