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.
The second round of successful candidates of the GRA and CGIAR Research Programme on Climate Change (CCAFS) joint CLIFF-GRADS initiative for 2019 have been announced.
CLIFF-GRADS is an international doctorate scholarship programme designed to support budding agricultural scientists.
Some 212 applicants from more than 50 developing countries applied to this latest round of the programme, as compared to 65 applicants from 23 countries in the first round earlier this year.
As such, 27 scholarships have been awarded to students from more than 18 countries in this second round, with winners announced at the UN climate talks in Poland. Students will undertake research in areas as diverse as rumen microbiology, rice production, soil science, and rangeland management, among others.
We are pleased to announce 2019 CLIFF-GRADS fellows and research projects below. Please click on the name of the student below to read more about them.
CLIFF-GRADS Call: Greenhouse gas emission and emission reduction from agricultural production
| Name | Nationality | University | Research Project | Host Institution | Host Country |
| Abmiael Ortiz-Chura | Peru | University of Buenos Aires | Effect of modulating interspecies electron transfer exchanges on methane production and rumen microbiota composition | INRA – National Institute for Agricultural Research, ARA Centre | France |
| Adnan Zahid | Pakistan | University of the Punjab | Using a Tier II Model (CQESTR) to Predict SOC Storage and CO2 Emissions | USDA -ARS, Soil and Water Conservation Research Unit | USA |
| Bertin Takoutsing | Cameroon | Wageningen University | Accounting for errors in SOC estimates introduced by proximal sensing methods | ISRIC – World Soil Information | Netherlands |
| Bo-Wen Zhang | China | Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS | Modeling pH effects on direct N2O from agricultural soils through complex stable isotope labelling | Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries | Germany |
| Camila Almeida dos Santos | Brazil | Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro | Targeting N2O emission hot-spots in intensive dairy pastures for mitigation action | The University of Melbourne | Australia |
| Deysi Ruiz Llontop | Peru | National Agrarian University La Molina | Quantification of carbon footprints in livestock production systems under contrasting management of Argentina | National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) | Argentina |
| Hilaire Sanni Worogo | Benin | University of Parakou | Effects of rangeland management on soil carbon sequestration | USDA -ARS, Fort Keogh Livestock & Range Research Laboratory | USA |
| Kofi Boateng | Ghana | Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology | Nitrogen fertilizer rate, crop residue amount and soil water content influence on N2O emissions | USDA -ARS, Soil and Water Conservation Research Unit | USA |
| Lai Lai | Myanmar | University of Putra Malaysia | Compiling a structured Rice Policy Information Portal and demonstrating its potential use in mitigation projects | International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) | Philippines |
| Lamfu Fabrice Yengong | Cameroon | University of Buea | Manure management interventions to mitigate GHG | International Livestock Research Institute, Mazingira Centre | Kenya |
| Lucélia de Cássia Rodrigues de Brito | Brazil | Federal University of Piauí | Cover crop and animal manure impacts on soil N2O emissions | USDA -ARS, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory | USA |
| María Carolina Scorcione Turcato | Argentina | University of Buenos Aires | Directed evolution of rumen microbial cultures towards the identification and stimulation of electron sinks alternative to methanogenesis | National Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) | Chile |
| Mariana Eloisa Garcia Ascolani | Paraguay | University of Florida | RumenPredict: Predicting appropriate GHG mitigation strategies based on modelling variables that contribute to ruminant environmental impact | Queens University | UK |
| Mónica Gabriela Perez | Argentina | University of Buenos Aires | Understanding the controls of N2O in grazed upland and lowland systems | Bangor University | UK |
| Noriel Angeles | Philippines | University of the Philippines Los Baños | Toward low methane-emitting rice varieties | International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) | Philippines |
| Ntwanano Moirah Malepfane | South Africa | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Comparing deep soil carbon stocks under kiwifruit and pasture land use | Plant & Food Research | New Zealand |
| Paul Soremi | Nigeria | Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta | Turning to rice cultivars for solving the CH4 puzzle in irrigated rice systems | International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), FLAR | Colombia |
| Pierre Eke | Cameroon | University of Yaounde | Soil organic matter sensitivity to land management impact on grasslands and croplands | Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries | Germany |
| Rangarirayi Lucia Mhindu | Zimbabwe | Chinhoyi University of Technology | GHG emissions from adequately managed rangelands in Kenya | International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Mazingira Centre | Kenya |
| Ricardo González Quintero | Colombia | Universidad de Antioquia. Medellín | Measuring ammonia emissions and collecting farm data from Costa Rican dairies | Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) | Costa Rica |
| Samuel Anuga | Ghana | University of Ghana | Just how smart are the climate smart options promoted in the Climate Smart Villages of Nicaragua? | International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), FLAR | Colombia |
| Sebastian Bedoya Mazo | Colombia | University of Antioquia | Quantifying Hydrogen fluxes and their impact on methane production equations | National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), ARA Centre | France |
| Sikiru Yusuf Alasinrin | Nigeria | Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta | Net GHG and soil carbon sequestration in response to tillage systems and cropping sequences | USDA -ARS, Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory | USA |
| Thi Thanh Ha Do | Vietnam | Southern Cross University | Assessing (agro)forestry landscape restoration options in livestock-degraded regions of montane Kenya and Tanzania | Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) | Kenya |
| Titis Apdini | Indonesia | Wageningen University | Economic implications of GHG mitigation from dairy and beef systems | Bangor University | UK |
| Victor Ilich Alvarado Bolovich | Peru | National Agrarian University La Molina | GHG mitigation strategies on cow/calf production systems | National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) | Argentina |
| Yuri Gelsleichter | Brazil | Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro | Assessing the impact of land use change scenarios on soil organic carbon stocks | ISRIC – World Soil Information | Netherlands |
CLIFF-GRADS Call: Greenhouse gas emission and emission reduction from reduced food loss and waste
| Name | Nationality | University | Research Project | Host Institution | Host Country |
| Daniele Eckert Matzembacher | Brazil | Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul | Measure FLW reduction and associated emission reductions of Brazilian entrepreneurship initiatives in fruits and vegetables that do not meet retail aesthetic standards | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | Sweden and Brazil |
| Laura Holguin | Colombian | Technical University of Dresden | Characterize digestate option with different combinations of available waste, including yield impacts, methane, and soil-based emissions | International Centre of Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) | Colombia |
| Li Xue | China | Chinese Academy of Sciences | Quantifying GHG emissions of agrifood chain and associated food loss and food waste in China: an input-output analysis. | University of Southern Denmark | Denmark and China |
| Norah Titiya Machinjiri | Malawi | Haramaya University | Effects of organic matter soil amendments on population dynamics of Aspergillus flavus and its natural antagonists; and on groundnut aflatoxin contamination in Malawi. | International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) | Malawi |
| Tabitha Nindi | Malawi | Purdue University | Understanding smallholder farmers’ storage habits in Malawi. | Malawi University of Science and Technology | Malawi |
| Xia Liang | China | The University of Melbourne | Evidence base for the mitigation of N2O emission from reduced food loss and waste in China and Myanmar | Hokkaido University | China and Myanmar |
These awards included funding from the New Zealand government and via support to CCAFS from CGIAR Trust Fund Donors and through bilateral funding agreements. The United States government, through the USAID Sustainable Landscapes program, also funds and supports food loss and waste research.For information regarding the last round of CLIFF-GRAD recipients -click here. Alternatively, click here for more information about the CLIFF-GRADS programme.
The final summary report is now available from the ‘International Conference on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Food Security – Connecting Research Policy & Practice’ focused on agricultural GHG emission reduction in light of climate change, sustainable agriculture, and food security.
The conference was held on the 10-13 September 2018 in Berlin, Germany, alongside the GRA Council meeting, and brought together approximately 300 scientists and stakeholders from government, public administration, industry and farmer organisations. Thematic discussions brought together participants to discuss key challenges facing agricultural production and the reduction of GHG emissions from both a scientific and policy perspective identifying a key statements and recommendations for each topic.
A few key take away messages:
- A greater focus on how to act upon scientific findings and implement scientific recommendations is needed
- Move to a science of implementation, not just the science of options or measurement
- More boldness in policy design: large-scale initiatives and learning
- Co-designing solutions with farmers, investors, input suppliers, advisory services to mainstream mitigation is essential
- For MRV regional data platforms, novel methods and information systems are promising solutions
- Higher priority to reduce loss and waste: food and other resources – circularity
- Ensuring effective policy coordination and coherence
- political will – we need it all: top-down and bottom-up, good governance
- Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture: science, practice and policy – all have a role to play
The conference was organised by the Global Research Alliance (GRA) and the Joint Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE-JPI) of the European Commission, in partnership with CGIAR-CCAFS and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and supported by its Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries (Thünen Institute).
Each organisation presented to conference participants on their key research achievements and outcomes and provided a wrap up of the key outcomes from the conference. The organisations were represented by:
- Hayden Montgomery (GRA Special Representative)
- Hartmut Stalb (Chair of FACCE – JPI)
- Bruce Campbell (CCAFS & CGIAR Representative); and
- Lini Wollenberg (Flagship Leader of Low Emissions Development at CCAFS (USA))
Click here to view the final summary report.
Alternatively, to learn more about the conference click here for the final summary slides.
Accounting for greenhouse gas emissions and emissions reductions correctly is essential to achieve climate change mitigation.
The MRV Platform for Agriculture provides information to guide measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) systems for agricultural emissions and mitigation, such as for Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The platform houses a wide range of tools, approaches, and case studies about how to design and implement MRV of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigation actions in the livestock sector. The platform will expand to include other agriculture sectors over the next year.
“The MRV Platform is meant to be a one-stop entry point on MRV topics for compilers of national GHG inventories, developers of national and subnational mitigation actions, preparers of climate finance proposals, and teams in agriculture and environment ministries responsible for NDC implementation and revision. Agricultural development agencies could also use the MRV Platform to track the GHG impacts of their projects,” explained Sinead Leahy, International Capability and Training Coordinator with the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, which contributed funding and helped develop the platform on behalf of the Global Research Alliance.
Describing approaches that work, from ‘good enough’ to ‘gold standard’
A 2017 review of current MRV practices in the livestock sector found that there was a lack of examples of approaches and methods used in MRV at different levels (national, sub-national, and project) that were applicable for developing country systems. The MRV Platform aims to fill this gap.
“Over 100 countries indicated their intention to reduce emissions from the agriculture sector in their NDCs, and all of them need credible MRV systems,” Meryl Richards, Science Officer for CCAFS and faculty at the University of Vermont, said. “We want to ensure that inventory compilers and project developers have access to the information they need and examples of how others have solved the same problems they may be facing.”
The MRV Platform summarizes evidence-based approaches to practicing MRV. Andreas Wilkes, consultant with UNIQUE land use and forestry GmbH, authored over 30 case studies now housed on the platform.
“The case studies examine how common challenges have been addressed,” he said. “For example, animal weight data are necessary for estimating emissions from cattle. But what do you do when you don’t have those data at a national level?”
This MRV Platform for Agriculture is an initiative of the GRA and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), implemented in partnership with UNIQUE forestry and land use GmbH and with web design by Clutch Creative. Funding was provided by the New Zealand Government as an activity of the GRA.
The United States is pleased to continue providing fellowship opportunities through the “Global Research Alliance” special program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program. The 2019 application window is open now through December 31, 2018.
Click here for the 2019 GRA Special Program announcement:
- Eligible Countries include: Colombia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Ghana, Honduras, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam
Additional information on the Borlaug Fellowship Program can be found here.
The ‘International Conference on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Food Security – Connecting Research Policy & Practice’ focused on agricultural GHG emission reduction in light of climate change, sustainable agriculture, and food security. The conference was held on the 10-13th September 2018 in Berlin, Germany.
The conference outcome was summarised by:
- Hayden Montgomery (GRA Special Representative)
- Hartmut Stalb (Chair of FACCE – JPI)
- Bruce Campbell (CCAFS & CGIAR Representative); and
- Lini Wollenberg (Flagship Leader of Low Emissions Development at CCAFS (USA))
To learn more about the conference click here for the final summary slides.
Alternatively, click here to view the AgriGHG conference video and final report.
The Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) is very pleased to welcome Mongolia as our 52nd Member country!
Mongolia has previously attended meetings of the Livestock Research Group, recognising the growing importance of the livestock sector. Membership in the GRA will help Mongolia increase research cooperation and investment into mitigation practices and technologies in order to develop more efficient and productive agricultural systems. This can also help to build the resilience of and adaptive capacity of these systems to help meet increasing demand for food in a sustainable manner.
The 52 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, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, 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, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vietnam, Zimbabwe.
For more information on the GRA or how to become a member country please contact the GRA Secretariat.
The CIRCASA project, to coordinate soil organic carbon research, are seeking stakeholder views on the role of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) management for climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
If you are a farmer, landowner, public official, a non-profit organisation, private business, in academia, a member of civil society, a government authority, or dealing with soil organic carbon management in any other way, the CIRCASA project team would love to hear your opinions.
There are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers. The survey takes around 30 minutes to complete. It is available in seven languages. Your answers will be treated confidentially and anonymously. The data generated will be analysed to make comparisons across stakeholder groups and countries around the globe.
The results of the stakeholder survey will inform an international research agenda on SOC management. Such an agenda will strengthen coordination in global research on SOC management in agricultural soils, leading to improved understanding and scientific basis to target ambitious practices required to preserve and enhance SOC.
Follow the link below to contribute, the survey is open until 31 October 2018.
Announcement of a Joint Call on “Novel technologies, solutions and systems to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in animal production systems”.
The Joint Call is a partnership between three European ERA-NET research initiatives on Sustainable Animal Production (SusAn), Monitoring and Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases from Agriculture and Silviculture (ERA-GAS) and Information and Communication Technologies and Robotics for Sustainable Agriculture (ICT-AGRI).
The Joint Call is supported by research partners from 24 countries, including from outside of Europe, participating countries are: Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK and Uruguay.
The overall objective of the 2018 Joint Call is to contribute to the development of novel technologies, solutions and systems to reduce the GHG intensity of animal production systems (excluding aquaculture or fur animals) in Europe and beyond. This funding initiative calls for applied research. The projects’ potential impact should be relevant for the mitigation of GHG emissions within the coming 5 – 10 years. Deadline for proposal submission: 3rd December 2018
The call announcement and link to the online submission tool can be found on the FACCE-JPI website.