The June 2018 newsletter of our Partner, the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCCA), is now available. This edition includes an update on the 2018 World Environment Day in India.
Teagasc is pleased to launch Research Leaders 2025, an innovative fellowship scheme focused on developing the next generation of research leaders in the agri-food domain.
We seek applications from experienced researchers (with PhD or four years full time research experience) in combination with host organisations worldwide (research, industry or civil society organisations/NGOs).
Join us for a live-streamed webinar on YouTube on Wednesday 25th July at 2 pm Dublin Local Time. Further details at www.teagasc.ie/rl2025
Features:
- Fellowships will have a duration of 36 months, including 18 months outside of Ireland, followed by a “return phase” to Teagasc in Ireland for a further 18 months.
- The fellowships will be researcher-led, so the applicant will be free to choose the research topic, the outgoing host organisation and the supervisor in Teagasc for the return phase.
- There will be a strong focus on career development, with dedicated career mentors for each fellow; a management training course; annual retreats with career presentations from leaders in academia, industry and civil society organisations; and transferable skills training.
- There will also be the option to undertake a secondment to the non-academic sector (e.g., industry or civil society organisations/NGOs).
- There will be a gross annual salary of €51,717 (in absence of family allowance) or €56,306 (if family allowance is paid). Research expenses will also be available.
- The programme aims to address the ‘leaky pipeline’ whereby the higher levels of research shows a gender imbalance. Review cohorts will be gender balanced, applicants that have taken a career break will not be disadvantaged, female fellows will be facilitated in finding female career mentors and paid maternity leave (with extensions to the fellowships) will be available.
Important dates:
- Deadline for receipt of Expression of interest: 1st October 2018, 13:00 Dublin Local Time
- Deadline for receipt of Full Application: 20th November 2018, 13:00 Dublin Local Time
- Information webinar: Wednesday, 25th July 2018, 2 pm Dublin Local Time
Eligibility conditions apply. See www.teagasc.ie/rl2025 for details.
Teagasc is the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority. The Teagasc annual research portfolio comprises some 300 research projects, carried out by 500 scientific and technical staff in seven research centres throughout Ireland. Research is organised into four programme areas:
- Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation
- Crops, Environment and Land Use
- Food
- Rural Economy and Development.
Teagasc researchers produced 2305 peer-reviewed publications between 2013 and 2017, ranking amongst the top European institutions in terms of number of publications and citations in the areas of food and agriculture. Teagasc researchers enjoy access to state-of-the art laboratories, over 2300 hectares of experimental farm land and two food pilot plant facilities.
See https://www.teagasc.ie/ for details.
The Global Open Data for Agriculture & Nutrition (GODAN) has released its June 2018 newsletter.
You can also view their ‘open climate’ video about paddy rice farming in Colombia, where the rice producer federation Fedearroz is using data sets measuring climate, yields and farming practices to help farmers in the country.
A session on Soil Denitrification will be held at the 2019 Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) International Soils Meeting, entitled “Denitrification in Agricultural Soils: Integrated Control and Modelling at Various Scales” Jan 6 -9 in San Diego.
Denitrification is the key process returning reactive nitrogen to the atmosphere. Despite being intensively studied for more than 100 years, soil denitrification rates and emissions of its gaseous products can still not be satisfactorily predicted. The complexity of the process in response to highly temporally and spatially variable soil properties (matrix to field scale) prevents robust prediction of denitrification rates and gaseous emissions.
Keynote speakers:
Peter Groffman, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies (to be confirmed)
Marcus Horn, Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz University Hannover (to be confirmed)
N.N.
Call for papers
Oral or poster contributions are invited. Topics include interactions between effects of key factors on denitrification and its gaseous emissions, and modelling of these processes at scales from matrix to field.
Early registration is until July 24; final registration is Aug 8.
Three of our CLIFF-GRADS winners, Sebastian Vangeli, Banira Lombardi and Ofonime Eyo have now begun research at their host institutions.
Sebastian is from Argentina, and is being hosted by Rothamsted Research and Bangor University, UK for the project “Structures and date requirements to develop a higher-tier agricultural GHG inventory”. (photo credit: Sebastian Vangeli)
Banira is from Argentina, and is being hosted by CIAT, Colombia for the project “Pasture type influence on soil N2O emission from cattle excreta”. (photo credit: Daniel Villegas)
Ofonime is from Nigeria, and is being hosted by CIMMYT, Bangladesh for the project “Identifying greenhouse gas emissions hotspot and mitigation options for the agricultural sector in Bangladesh” (photo credit: Ofonime Eyo)
The CLIFF-GRADS awards are the new annual Global Research Alliance-CGIAR scholarship. Read more about CLIFF-GRADS here
Keep up to date with the awardees by adding us on Twitter @gra_ghg
A Community Manager position has become available at the CIRCASA Open Collaborative Platform based at INRA in Paris, France. This is a 2-year renewable position.
Application deadline is 31 July 2018.
Context
The overarching goal of the CIRCASA Coordination and Support Action, which has 23 international partners, is to develop international synergies concerning research and knowledge transfer on agricultural soil C sequestration at European Union (EU) and global levels. CIRCASA has 4 main objectives:
- Strengthen the international research community on soil carbon sequestration in relation to climate change and food security;
- Improve our understanding of agricultural soil carbon sequestration and its potential for climate change mitigation and adaptation and for increasing food production;
- Co-design a strategic research agenda with stakeholders on soil carbon sequestration in agriculture;
- Create an International Research Consortium in this area.
Mission
An Open Collaborative Platform (OCP) is developed in the frame of CIRCASA including tools for dissemination and outreach, knowledge system and crowdsourcing, matchmaking across research initiatives, alignment across research programs. The OCP manager will be in charge of the contents and operation of the OCP with support of IT experts and of project partners. The OCP is being developed through a subcontract with an ICT startup and with support of computer engineers at CIRAD (a partner of CIRCASA) and at INRA (CIRCASA coordination). The OCP manager will supervise the development of the OCP, oversee the tests of the first versions, interact – in relation with the CIRCASA Scientific Officer – with CIRCASA partners to provide contents and data and manage the international online community of researchers and stakeholders on soil organic carbon sequestration in agriculture.
She/he will also write project monitoring reports and training materials. She/he will be invited to provide training (with the support of the IT engineer) to the stakeholders.
Profile
We seek a strongly motivated candidate with initial training as an engineer or equivalent and some notions of information and communication technologies (ICT), strongly interested in digital platforms for communication and exchange. Excellent skills in communication in English and writing are required. A good level in French would be an advantage for working in Paris and at INRA. A first experience in project management would be appreciated.
- The position is based at INRA’s headquarters (downtown Paris) and involves travelling.
- Remuneration: according to INRA grids for Engineers, according to degree and experience
- Taking office: at the earliest
- Contact on the post: Dr. Jean-Francois Soussana ([email protected]) and Dr. Odile Vilotte ([email protected] ).
Send CV and cover letter to both these emails addresses before 31/07/2018.
The June edition of our Partner FACCE-SURPLUS is out, including a link to their publication “Assessment of Benefits of Conservation Agriculture on Soil Functions in Arable Production Systems in Europe”.
The latest issue of the Livestock Research Group (LRG) newsletter is available.
In this edition, you can read about:
- Significant LRG research outputs, including a publication in Nature
- An update on new LRG projects and other outcomes from the recent LRG meeting in Viet Nam (14-17 May)
- How the LRG can help support the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- An LRG partner’s views on a possible global target for agricultural greenhouse gas emissions
The May 2018 newsletter of our Partner, the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCCA), is now available.
Included in this issue is a briefing on methane, with some focus on the agricultural sector.
The GRA is working in Partnership with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and other experts to identify cost-effective and technically sound measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems – and the guidance, tools, and platforms that support them.
At a side event during the 2018 Bonn Climate Change Conference, experts from Brazil, Guatemala, and Uruguay shared their experiences developing MRV systems for livestock NAMA projects at the local level and elaborated on how this information could inform NAMAs and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) going forward.
Four themes arose from presentations and discussion with the audience:
(1) Standardized approaches are needed at subnational/project and national MRV levels to enable the two systems to “talk” to each other.
(2) Protocols and technologies for information collection apps, data compilation and access via platforms were essential components of MRV systems and can help with aggregation, standardization, and quality control.
(3) MRV should build on national livestock information systems and seek to improve these to provide robust activity data.
(4) Capacity development at subnational levels should be a priority.
Read the report here in English, French and Spanish.
The latest newsletter from our Partner GODAN is now available. Included in this issue is information about a white paper on Digital and data-driven agriculture opportunities for smallholders, and the results of an analysis of five agriculture programmes regarding donor open data policy and practice.
NZAGRC Senior Scientist – AgResearch
An opportunity has opened for an experienced and passionate scientist to join the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC).
The role requires monitoring New Zealand’s science input into the Global Research Alliance and providing underpinning advice on collaborative research between New Zealand and international scientists from a range of disciplines. This will include overseeing the administration of large integrated research programmes. You will provide the NZAGRC with advice and leadership in climate change research.
Job Description
- Assess quality and delivery of science inputs against programme milestones
- Assist in the development of a new, collaborative research programme
- Provide underpinning knowledge on climate change and climate change policy
- Compile written science recommendations suitable for policy audiences
- Ensure research contracted by the NZAGRC is of the highest standards
- Establish sound working relations and collaboration between key stakeholders
Ideal candidate background
- PhD degree in a climate change related discipline with particular emphasis on agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation
- Proven track record of research and development in agriculture
- Experience in negotiation, administration and monitoring of research contracts and research outputs
- Working knowledge of evidence informed policy establishment
- Knowledge and interest in New Zealand pastoral agriculture industries
AgResearch provide a diverse range of benefits including flexible working options that help our staff balance their own lifestyle and needs with their work commitments.
Applications
For a confidential discussion contact Harry Clark, NZAGRC Director on 06 351 8334
See here for more information and to apply. Applications close 5pm, Thursday 14 June 2018