Closing Date: Sunday, 10th November 2024
Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand

This position is fixed term in nature until June 2026.

The NZAGRC aims to discover, develop, and make available practical and cost-effective technologies and practices for New Zealand farmers and growers to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. We are a core component of the Centre for Climate Action on Agricultural Emissions and a key part of the New Zealand Government’s approach to reducing agricultural emissions. In delivering our vision and objectives we work with research organisations, government, Māori, the agri-industry, and farmers.

We shape, fund and facilitate research that is undertaken collaboratively and responds to Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique farm systems and environments. We also invest in and manage overseas projects within New Zealand’s aid and global partnerships as part of New Zealand’s commitment to the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.

We are looking for an original and critical thinker who can help fuse ideas from different disciplines and perspectives to develop a diverse and impactful portfolio of investments. You will have demonstrated the ability to build trusted relationships with key stakeholders and work with them to help ensure that the contracted science programmes are delivering to expectations.

For more information, see the following links:
Senior Science Advisor – NZAGRC Job Details | AgResearch Limited
Senior Research Scientist Jobs in New Zealand, Job Vacancies – Oct 2024 | SEEK

Read more about the highly anticipated Qinisa Initiative, launched on the 27^th of August 2024, at the Sheraton Hotel, Pretoria, South Africa.

Click HERE.

Paul Mwangi, PhD student from Kenya, is pioneering research in the field of livestock greenhouse gas emissions. With a solid foundation in veterinary medicine and animal nutrition, Paul is investigating how animal health, specifically gastrointestinal worms, influences enteric methane emissions from sheep—a critical issue for East Africa’s agricultural systems.

Currently, Paul is on a CLIFF-GRADS scholarship, a prestigious program that supports early-career PhD students from developing countries in conducting hands-on research aimed at addressing climate change. During his research stay at Massey University in New Zealand, Paul will collaborate with Dr. Neha Jha on a cutting-edge project to explore how pasture soils can reduce nitrous oxide emissions. This work has the potential to revolutionize livestock farming practices, making them more environmentally sustainable.

The CLIFF-GRADS program, a joint initiative between the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) and CGIAR’s Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) program, plays a vital role in equipping young scientists like Paul to conduct innovative research for climate-resilient food systems.

Reflecting on his meeting with Paul, Ackim Mwape, GRA Africa Program Lead, remarked, “Paul’s work exemplifies the power of global collaboration in tackling agricultural sustainability challenges. As his research progresses, I look forward to seeing how his findings contribute to both the scientific community and practical solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture.”

It’s exciting to witness Paul’s journey unfold, and we are eager to see how his research will shape future efforts in mitigating the climate impacts of agriculture.

Extended to 27 September 2024!

Dear Experts, Dear Colleagues,

The public review of the new FAO LEAP Guidelines on Ecosystem Services Assessment in Livestock Agroecosystems and The Role of Livestock in Circular Bioeconomy Systems has been extended to 27 September 2024!

We would like to ask for your expertise and support for these two key FAO publications. 

Ecosystem Services Assessment in Livestock Agroecosystems

The guidelines aim to establish a robust framework for assessing ecosystem services within livestock agroecosystems. They provide stakeholders with clear methodologies for evaluating the benefits and trade-offs of these systems, utilizing biophysical, sociocultural, economic, and modelling approaches.

The Role of Livestock in Circular Bioeconomy Systems

The guidelines aim to provide a comprehensive framework for enhancing circularity within the livestock sector. The document outlines the synergies, trade-offs, and potential interactions of livestock systems within a circular bioeconomy, emphasizing the role of livestock in fostering sustainable practices.

The FAO LEAP Partnership thanks you for your ongoing support and contributions.

We invite you to join us in applying the FAO LEAP Guidelines globally!

Start Reviewing

On Wednesday, 21 August, eight New Zealand-based scholars from two of the GRA’s scholarship programmes—the New Zealand Global Research Alliance Doctoral Scholarship (NZ-GRADS) and the CLIFF-GRADS programme—came together for the first time at the Annual Science Meeting, showcasing research projects funded by New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in support for the GRA. These scholars, all working on topics related to agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation and measurement, gathered to attend and engage with leading research on agricultural greenhouse gases.

The meeting offered the scholars a unique opportunity to explore key scientific themes such as methane, greenhouse gas inventories, rumen function, nitrous oxide, soil carbon, and GHG mitigation tools. They also witnessed presentations on 21 research projects involving international collaboration.

The research projects were presented by scientists from all around the world including 13 scientists from New Zealand. Key discussions focused on development of GHG measurement technologies/tools, soil carbon, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions. The presentations highlighted the global impact of New Zealand’s support for the GRA, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration, capability development, and the enhancement of global scientific knowledge on agricultural GHG emissions.

The event concluded with a dedicated networking session, where the NZ-GRADS and CLIFF-GRADS scholars presented their own research and connected with one another, as well as with other scientists present. This gathering fostered collaboration and opened up opportunities for future exchanges within the scientific community.

We thank Education New Zealand for organising the participation of our NZ-GRADS scholars.

Recording Available!

The 2024 GRA Council Meeting (online) was held on the 11th of September. The documents, reports, and selected slide presentations can be found HERE.

The meeting can be viewed HERE.