The Department of Agriculture and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries have launched a joint research call for projects on land management, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the development of technologies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Eligible research performing organisations (RPOs) from Ireland are invited to submit joint research proposals, with collaborating partners from New Zealand. The Department of Agriculture will provide financial support for projects through its research programme fund.

There will be four research topics:

  • Topic 1: Land management on organic agricultural soils to support the development of GHG mitigation and carbon sequestration.
  • Topic 2: Refinement of agricultural GHG emissions inventories through the development of emission factors for methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide.
  • Topic 3: Identification and development of technologies for the mitigation of greenhouse gases from ruminant systems.
  • Topic 4: Digitisation and data to support climate-related action and management practices in agriculture.

    • New Zealand Minister for Agriculture, Damien O’Connor M.P and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for research and innovation Martin Heydon.

    Speaking from Washington DC, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture with special responsibility for research Martin Heydon said the discussions with New Zealand focused "strongly on how we can develop and grow our bilateral cooperation in the area of agricultural climate change research and innovation, building on initiatives such as the Global Research Alliance for agricultural greenhouse gases."

    Over €7m was awarded to four research projects in the 2022 call in joint funding from Ireland and New Zealand.

    More details, including information for online briefing sessions, can be found here