The Global Research Alliance: Enhancing cooperation in agricultural greenhouse gas research Andrea Pickering and Harry Clark
Outline of talk • The Global Research Alliance • The New Zealand Fund for Global Research Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Research • Round 1 Results and lessons learnt • Round 2 Details and proposed changes
Challenges • Agriculture contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions; as global demand for food grows, agricultural emissions are projected to increase • Agriculture also has to adapt to a changing climate • Opportunities to reduce GHG emissions while working towards food security and adaptation objectives • Collaboration between countries is essential PRODUCTIVITY + EFFICIENCY = LESS EMISSIONS & MORE FOOD
The Alliance • Launched in December 2009 In the margins of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark • Brings countries together to find ways to grow more food without growing greenhouse gas emissions: • Improve understanding, measurement & estimation of agricultural emissions • Find ways to reduce emissions intensity of agricultural production systems and increase potential for soil carbon sequestration, while enhancing food security • Improve farmer access to agricultural mitigation technologies & best practices
Membership 33 member countries >> www.globalresearchalliance.org
Structure • Governing body Alliance Council • 3x Research Groups: Work carried out by Livestock with ruminant & non-ruminant subgroups Paddy Rice Croplands 2x Cross-Cutting Groups: Soil carbon and nitrogen cycling Inventories and measurement • Held together by a Charter • New Zealand (currently) Supported by a Secretariat The Alliance has no central funding mechanism
New Zealand funding in support of the Alliance • Total $45 million available from 2011 to 2016 for research, development and capability building initiatives that support the Alliance. • The funds are used to: • Build capability through the LEARN network • Fund New Zealand science projects through targeted RFP’s • Fund internationally collaborative projects that support the workplan of the Livestock Research Group • Create an international research fund - The NZ Fund for Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Research (the Fund
Any questions so far?
The NZ Fund for Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Research (The Fund)
The New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions The Fund Research • A competitive fund Open to all member countries but minimum 30% NZ involvement Cash • All participating countries In-kind expected to contribute Between 2012 and 2016 • $25 million available Round 1: $16m • Two funding rounds each Round 2: $9m with 2 stage application process Round 1: 4 years • Maximum funding period Round 2: 3 years Round 1 September 2011 to May 2012 Round 2 open week of 23 June 2012
The New Zealand Fund for How The Fund is Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions structured Research • An International Strategic Science Panel was appointed to select four Grand Challenges Chair: Sir Peter Gluckman (Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor) Prof Paddy Cunningham Chief Scientific Advisor, Government of Ireland Daniel Martino Executive Director of Carbosur, Uruguay Jimmie Smith Director General, ILRI, Kenya Andy West New Zealand Collier Isaacs FarmIQ Science advisers Gerald Rys MPI Harry Clark NZAGRC
The New Zealand Fund for How The Fund is Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions structured Research • Technical Assessment Panel (TAP) appointed to assess applications to the Fund based on their skills and experience in relation to the Grand Challenges Chair: Sir Peter Gluckman (Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor) Professor Steve Jarvis Exeter Professor Chuck Rice Kansas State University University Professor Hugh Blair Massey Dr Gerald Rys MPI University Dr Andrea Pickering MPI Professor Hugh Morgan Waikato University Science Advisor Dr Harry Clark Dr Frank O’Mara Teagasc NZAGRC
The New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in The four Challenge areas Livestock Emissions Research • Manipulating rumen function • Reducing nitrous oxide emissions from soils • Manipulating rates of soil carbon storage • Improved information for farmer decision making
The New Zealand Fund for Any general points of Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions clarification? Research
The New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in Review of Round 1 Livestock Emissions Research Stage One: Expressions of Interest 36 received by MPI 29 eligible - MPI vet against seven eligibility criteria 11 invited to submit full proposals Stage Two: Full proposals 10 submitted to MPI & assessed by TAP (5 criteria) 4 recommended for funding (full /or partial) $6.62 million awarded for research projects
The New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in Successful Projects Livestock Emissions Research Challenge one This project brings together leading rumen Deep sequencing $2.0 Dr Graeme microbiology researchers from NZ, Australia, USA the rumen million Attwood, and France to deep sequence the rumen microbiome AgResearch microbiome in order to better understand the processes that contribute to methane formation in sheep and cattle The main goal of this project is to develop a high- Accelerated $1.12 Dr Ron throughput screening method for rapidly identifying discovery of million Ronimus, novel anti-methanogen inhibitors, based on the methanogen- AgResearch efficient testing of inhibitors against methanogens growing in 96-well culture plates. The team includes specific inhibitors NZ, Australia, USA and Japan A leading New Zealand research team will aim to Vaccine to reduce $1.0 Dr Neil identify adjuvants (substances that trigger methane emissions million Wedlock, production of antibody responses to the vaccine) to in ruminants Agresearch produce a vaccine which targets methanogens in the rumen
The New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in Successful Projects Livestock Emissions Research Challenge two A cost-effective nitrous oxide mitigation technique, Animal delivery of $2.5 Dr Stewart based on animal delivery of the nitrification inhibitor DCD in urine by million Ledgard, dicyandiamide (DCD) in urine via provision in feeds, provision in feeds Agresearch will be evaluated in field plot and grazing system studies across different locations in NZ, Australia and Ireland. The team includes these three countries. Challenge three No projects funded Challenge four No projects funded
The New Zealand Fund for Lessons from Round 1: Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Expressions of Interest Research • Overall quality of the proposals was disappointing • The MSI portal has limitations • Failure to read the guidelines • Failure to directly address the Challenges • The RISK ASSESSMENT section was inadequately completed in most cases • END USERS were frequently ill-defined • Considerable scope for greater collaboration between NZ scientists = fewer but stronger EOIs
The New Zealand Fund for Lessons from Round 1: Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Full Proposals Research • Focussing directly on the Challenge crucial • RISK ASSESSMENT section inadequately completed in most cases • Proposals should use preliminary data if available to strengthen their applications • Some applicants found applications forms difficult to complete & poorly worded in some areas • Co-funding rules a barrier to international partnerships • Timelines very short to develop new collaborations • Confusion over absolute need to have international partners
The New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in Questions Livestock Emissions Research
The New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in Round 2 in detail Livestock Emissions Research • $15 million available between 2013 and 2016 • Round Two will open week beginning 25 June 2012 • Seed funding available Expressions of Interest due 27 August 2012 Invitations for full application made by 29 October 2012 Full applications close 17 February 2013 Funding to start 1 July 2013
The New Zealand Fund for Proposed changes for Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Round 2 Research • Re-design of the application forms: • Not using the MSI portal for the EoI stage • Budget tables streamlined and simplified • Some general re-wording and more consistent use of language between EoI and full application forms (e.g. risk and barriers) • Better definitions of some terms (e.g. Additionality, Alignment) • Slight changes to the wording of the Grand Challenges • Changes to the co-funding rules • Clarification regarding New Zealand only bids
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