More than $9 million will be made available to support PhD and post-doctoral students and research into the reduction of agricultural greenhouse emissions, the government has announced.
The funding is part of Budget 22’s commitment to the new Centre for Climate Action on Agricultural Emissions and builds on the $27m announced for the initiative last year at Fieldays.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said the funding will support up to 15 PhD and 12 post-doctoral students over six years. It will bolster the development of a national agricultural greenhouse gas capability plan to ensure New Zealand can meet the increased demand for researchers.
The announcement was made as part of the New Zealand Agricultural Climate Change Conference being held in Wellington this week.
O’Connor said NZ needs to attract the best minds to succeed.
“Success will be twofold: it will see us meet our emissions targets as a sector, and open up significant export revenue for our IP,” he said.
O’Connor said many North Island communities are recovering from three major storms this year, which shows there is a need to take action on climate change.
“This investment is part of the government’s significant effort to shift the dial and contribute to a global response to climate change, and to maintain a clear competitive edge internationally,” O’Connor said.
“Demand for tools and practices that reduce agricultural greenhouse gases is growing both in New Zealand and internationally. Research on our unique pasture-based farming systems is the gateway to meeting that demand.”
The government is also investing up to $350,000 to build on the current research programme into methane vaccines, which trigger antibodies that suppress methane in animals.
“This funding will be used to test two alternative protein production systems and if successful, could help realise a vaccine as a real option for farmers,” O’Connor said.
It is also investing $200,000 in further research on the effect that plantain has on nitrous oxide emissions.
“This will help us better understand the benefits of plantain and how it can be used on farm to reduce emissions,” he said.
The Centre for Climate Action on Agricultural Emissions focuses on reducing agriculture emissions through research and development. It is made up of the new Centre for Climate Action Joint Venture with industry and an enhanced New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre.
