The New Zealand Climate Smart Agriculture Initiative (NZCSA)
The Climate Smart Agriculture Initiative is a New Zealand funded international development programme that aims to strengthen climate action. It is helping countries to effectively account for, and mitigate, their agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
It provides practical support to developing countries in Africa, ASEAN, Latin America and the Caribbean with a strong focus on capability, capacity, and the infrastructure needed to effectively account for agricultural emissions.
This Initiative was developed and is being delivered by New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC). It is part of New Zealand’s actions in support of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA).
For more information please see the NZCSA website here.
Below are some videos highlighting some of the work of the CSA
Climate change adaptation in Cambodia’s livestock sector (Audio in Khmer)
This is the first systematic assessment of the risks to livestock producers due to climate change. It includes the implications of the trend towards growing commercial production for vulnerability of commercial livestock production. We at the GRA think this is a powerful analysis of climate risks and “low hanging fruit” opportunities for addressing them very efficiently.
New Zealand and South Africa collaborate on a GHG measurement Hub in Pretoria
Our partners in South Africa have produced a video highlighting the positive impact of the New Zealand Climate Smart Agriculture Initiative (NZCSA). The video was made by the Qinisa Initiative, another New Zealand supported project. In the video NZCSA country director Dr Lindeque du Toit from the University of Pretoria shows the New Zealand High Commissioner, Philip Hewitt, the advanced greenhouse gas (GHG) measurement equipment installed as part of the NZCSA initiative. Dr Lindeque describes how:
• The facility will be used to train people across southern Africa so that they can undertake similar research in their countries.
• New Zealand is funding practical climate research in Southern Africa.
• The data collected is being used to inform government policy to mitigate agricultural GHGs.
Regional Livestock GHG measurement training advances climate action in ASEAN
The video showcases a major regional event conducted under the New Zealand Climate Smart Agriculture Initiative (NZCSA) and in support of the objectives of the GRA. The ground-breaking three-day training marked a significant step forward in enhancing GHG monitoring for sustainable livestock management in Southeast Asia.
The workshop enhanced participants’ skills in operating and maintaining GreenFeed™ units that measure livestock GHG emissions, such as methane and carbon dioxide. Greenfeed™ units are a cutting edge technology in this field and allow scientists to easily test emission reduction options on animals; which is why New Zealand has supplied units to Indonesia, Vietnam and South Africa.
New Zealand and Vietnam collaborate on GHG measurement (Audio in Vietnamese)
Vietnam’s National Institute of Animal Science has released a video showcasing their work under the New Zealand Climate Smart Agriculture Initiative (NZCSA), to support of the objectives of the GRA. The video highlights practical measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions on farms and the positive impact of the project.
Key activities include:
• Installing advanced equipment to measure methane and other farm emissions
• Supporting experimental design and data interpretation
• Improving the accuracy, speed, and cost-efficiency of GHG measurement