The VII Remedia Workshop “Agroforestry Systems as a Solution to Climate Change” will take place in Lugo, Spain, Europe, during 27th – 28th March 2019. The workshop will include sessions about mitigation of GHG in livestock, agricultural and forest systems within the framework of the agroforestry systems and will start with a keynote from the CRG GRA chair Proff. Ladilau Martin and also with presentations of relevant GRA activities such as those conducted by GRA members related to the CIRCASA and AFINET projects. There will also be a workshop linked to the Spanish Red NUEVA to show stakeholders how to measure greenhouse gas emissions. For more information about the workshop click here.
The Order of Engineers of Tunisia is organising, with the collaboration of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, an international conference on sustainable food systems and food security: “Engineering and Food Security in Africa” (EFS Africa 2019) on June 24th and 25th. The conference will bring together more than 250 engineers, climate change experts, and policy makers from various African countries to establish an operational action plan aimed at improving food security in Africa. The action plan will be announced in the Tunis Declaration, which will be sent to the UN General Secretary and African heads of state.
To read more about the conference, including how to apply, please see the documents in the links below and click here to visit the EFS Africa website. The deadline for the submission of abstracts is March 15, 2019, so if you are interested in attending be sure to apply soon.
PDF: International Conference Engineering and Food Security in Africa
The Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases together with the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), the Red Remedia, and the 4 per 1000 Initiative organised an advanced course for professionals on livestock and climate change: “Livestock and climate change: Assessment of emissions, mitigation options and adaptation strategies.”
The course took place from 11 to 15 February 2019 in Zaragoza, Spain, and was hosted by CIHEAM Zaragoza. It provided participants with over 20 hours of in-class training and 14 hours of practical work and debate supplemented by real-life case studies in the context of Mediterranean agriculture and climate change conditions. Participants were given the opportunity to engage in practical exercises on greenhouse gas national inventories calculations while learning more about adaptation and mitigation strategies, measuring methodologies and modelling tools in livestock systems. They also networked with experts and professionals from other countries interested in livestock farming and the mitigation of the effects on the climate and the environment.
For more information about the CIHEAM Zaragoza institute click here to visit their website and here for their twitter.
Greenhouse gas national inventories calculations exercises.
Group Photo, Zaragoza, Spain.
The 11th Global Forum on Food and Agriculture (GFFA) “Agriculture Goes Digital – Smart Solutions for Future Farming” was held in Berlin, Germany from 17th to 19th January.
The GRA organised an expert panel “Blue skies for green farms: a 21st century research agenda,” which was chaired by the GRA Council Chair, Dr. Wolfgang Zornbach, Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Germany. Participating in the panel were the GRA Special Representative, Hayden Montgomery, Daniel Tudela Staub, Thünen Institute of Farm Economics, and a panel of young farmers from the World Farmers Organisation, including Tero Sarkala, Finland; Martha Agyemang, Ghana; Brian Rushe, Ireland; Sarah Crofoot, New Zealand. The panel discussion addressed plausible agricultural development pathways to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and included a presentation of global mitigation research being conducted through the Global Research Alliance by its members and partners across livestock, crops and rice production systems as well as a deep-dive into soil research and farm economics being conducted by Germany and collaborators in the Agri-Benchmark initiative.
The GRA Special Representative at the Global Forum on Food and Agriculture.
World Farmers Organisation young farmers panel.
The GRA Special Representative also participated in an event organised by the World Farmers Organisation (WFO), which explored the opportunities and challenges of digitalisation for young farmers as well as the ways in which businesses and industry can help farmers achieve sustainable food security.
The GFFA is an annual international conference, organised by the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. The aim of the conference is to address key questions regarding the future of the global agri-food industry. The conference provides representatives from the worlds of politics, business, science and civil society with the opportunity to share ideas and enhance their understanding on a selected topic of current agricultural policy, and is the world’s largest conference of agriculture ministers. To read more about the GFFA click here.
The GRA’s Integrative Research Group (IRG) met in Cali, Colombia, on the 4th and 5th February 2019. This was the group’s third annual meeting, which included 36 participants from 14 GRA member countries. Experts from the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Coordination of International Research Cooperation on Soil Carbon Sequestration in Agriculture (CIRCASA), Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), 4per1000, French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), International Soil Reference Information Centre (ISRIC), and the EU also attended.
One of the major outcomes of the meeting was a network organisation and restructuring with existing work prioritized now across three networks; The Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Support Network, The Soil Carbon Sequestration Network and The Farm to Regional Integration Modelling Network. The group also agreed to the development of a series of webinars to increase science communication amongst scientists and related parties.
The meeting was attended by Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Ghana, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom, United States of America and Uruguay. The purpose of the IRG is to foster collaboration in the science community across Alliance research groups and between Alliance member countries, international partnerships, research organisations and research institutions to ultimately develop international knowledge and capabilities for estimation, monitoring, and projecting greenhouse gas emissions within and across agricultural systems.
Group photo at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Country report presentation-Spain
The joint Global Research Alliance – World Farmers’ Organisation annual study tour took place in New Zealand from the 26th January to the 1st February, 2019.
Farmers from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan, representing the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation, alongside farmers from Indonesia, and the President of the World Farmers Organisation, travelled to Palmerston North and the Hawke’s Bay Region in New Zealand. On the tour participants learnt more about and discussed agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, environmental farming management, and sustainable agriculture.
The group met with representatives from the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC), Massey University, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Ravensdown Fertiliser, and Plant and Food Research, as well as farmers and producers in the Hawke’s Bay Region. The New Zealand farmers hosting the group were pleased to showcase the diversity of production and innovation across the region, including sheep and beef farms, apple and blueberry orchards, dairy goats and high value cropping. Participants in particular noted the close connection between scientists, farmers, and policy makers and the commitment from farmers to care for their environment. The tour facilitated farmer-to-farmer discussion on sustainable management practices and innovative new technologies aimed at lessening the environmental impact of agricultural production. Participants were able to share their unique experiences regarding the challenges and opportunities farmers are currently facing across the globe.
This was the fifth annual study tour to be held, and third to take place in New Zealand. Previous tours have also been held in Argentina and Italy. The purpose of the Global Research Alliance – World Farmers’ Organisation annual study tour is to increase understanding and engagement on agricultural greenhouse gas research and changing environmental management practices in order to support sustainable farming.
Group photo taken at the top of Te Mata Peak, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.
A Patangata Station, meat supplier located in the Tuki Tuki Valley, Central Hawke’s Bay.
The group also visited Church Road Winery’s Redstone Vineyard.
To read more about the tour, click here to visit the WFO website or click here to read an article by Federated Farmers.
An opportunity for a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant has arisen at the University of Reading, United Kingdom. The School of Agriculture Policy and Development (SAPD) is seeking a Post-Doctoral Researcher to contribute to on-going collaborative research and knowledge exchange activities of the Animal, Dairy and Food Chain Sciences Research Group and the Centre for Dairy Research (CEDAR).
The successful applicant will contribute to the research and knowledge exchange activities of CEDAR. Abilities to contribute to ongoing research in the areas of reducing environmental impact of animal production are important, including current research on multi-species forage production and utilization and measurement of digestive efficiency and methane emission, as well as the ability to further develop international research collaborations.
For a job description and to apply, please click here or visit https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BPR121/postdoctoral-research-assistant-animal-science
The application deadline is February 22 2019 (UK time) so if you’re interest be sure to apply soon.
The Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) is very pleased to announce that three new member countries have joined the Alliance – Uganda, eSwatini and Ethiopia
In December 2018, Uganda and the Kingdom of eSwatini became members of the Alliance.
In Uganda, the agricultural sector is the most vulnerable sector to climate change. The sector contributes over 50 per cent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it a high priority sector for both climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. The Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries recognises that the GRA’s objectives align with those of Uganda in relation to food security, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. Working with the GRA will contribute to knowledge sharing, synergies between adaptation and mitigation, technical and scientific exchanges, and the promotion of more efficient agricultural systems.
eSwatini is committed to a national climate change agenda, including sustainable development goals, and identifies agriculture and food security as key areas of concern. eSwatini is aligned with the Global Research Alliance Charter and fully endorses it. Through collaborative efforts eSwatini and the GRA will work towards enhanced climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The GRA is also very pleased to welcome Ethiopia as our newest member country. In Ethiopia the agriculture and livestock sector is of vital importance in addressing climate change and is central to Ethiopia’s vision and objectives for a climate resilient green economy. The Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia is the central governmental actor in assisting Ethiopia’s transition to a climate resilient green economy and in the implementation of Ethiopia’s Livestock Master Plan. Previously, representatives from the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and Addis Ababa University attended the 2012 regional capability building workshop in Kenya. In 2014, participants from Ethiopia also took part in the intensive two weeks course “Introduction to Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement”, organised by the Livestock Research Group of the GRA. The Alliance is looking forward to working with Ethiopia to develop and improve sustainable farming practices.
The 56 member countries now participating in the activities of the Global Research Alliance are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, eSwatini, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malawi, Mexico, Mongolia, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Senegal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vietnam, Zimbabwe.
The Global Research Alliance is pleased to announce Malawi as our newest member country. Malawi has become the 55th member of the GRA, and the eleventh African country to have joined the Alliance.
In 2018, Malawi attended the Low Emissions Livestock: Supporting Policy Making and Implementation through Science in East Africa workshop, which was organised by the GRA together with the World Bank, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The workshop focused on livestock production and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Malawi is looking forward to working with other member countries to develop more efficient and sustainable agricultural systems to meet growing global demand for food.
The Livestock Research Group’s Feed and Nutrition Network (FNN) seeks a qualified and self-motivated postdoctoral fellow from the Latin American region to work on a GRA flagship project related to reducing methane emissions from cattle using dietary approaches in a range of production conditions and environments. The work on the project is integrated with activities of the GLOBAL NETWORK and CEDERS projects and is an activity of the FNN. The project is coordinated by the FNN leader, based at Pennsylvania State University in the USA, and the postdoctoral position will be based at the Department of Animal Science, Agrosavia-Research Agricultural Corporation in Bogota, Colombia.
For more, including the application process, please download the PDF.
The latest issue of the Livestock Research Group (LRG) newsletter is available.
In this edition, you can read about:
- The farewell from Martin Scholten and introduction of the new LRG co-chair – Dr Sinéad Waters
- The upcoming 7th International Greenhouse Gas and Animal Agriculture (GGAA) conference and the 10th meeting of the Livestock Research Group
- New tools for measuring, reporting and verifying livestock greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation
- LRG support to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- LRG involvement in a regional engagement workshop on ‘Low Emissions Livestock: Supporting Policy Making and Implementation through Science in East Africa’
- Highlights from the GRA Council Meeting and updates from the LRG’s networks
A position in Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Mitigation is available at the Department of Agroecology, Section of Soil Fertility in Denmark.
They are seeking an internationally competitive, innovative and successful research leader, who wants to work with highly engaged and motivated staff in a positive and dynamic international working environment.
Please note all applications must be made online and received no later than: 05.01.2019
For more information about the position and how to apply – click here.