Outreach

Knowledge of what steps need to be taken to start the primary sector on the road to lower emissions is recognised as lacking across the industry. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not yet a routine component of integrated farm planning and management. But each farm is unique, and successful mitigation will depend on the identification and successful adoption of appropriate emission reduction technologies and practices.

The Ag Emissions Centre (AgEC) provides credible, science-based support to broader primary sector initiatives focused on mainstreaming climate change thinking into general farm business planning. We do this in several ways:

• Making sure this website and our social media channels bring you the latest science on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand and ways they can be reduced.
• Talking to farmer groups, agri-businesses, rural professionals and others in the industry about climate change, why it matters at the farm level and what can be done about it.
• Regularly hosting ‘State of Science’ webinars, where subject experts provide updates on key AgEC research into emissions mitigation options. For more, see our News and Events page.
• Hosting domestic and international science, farming and political delegations.

We also contribute research and analysis to the development of Government policy on agriculture and climate change. You can find these reports in the Publications part of this website.

Delegation from Brazil visiting the New Zealand Animal Ruminant Methane Measurement Centre.

Looking ahead, with dedicated core funding now in place for outreach, we will be partnering with others to develop a programme to support farmers and growers move towards low emissions farming.

In addition to core-funded activities, the AgEC is funded by MPI to provide specific outreach services to the primary sector, including:

• Developing and managing the Ag Matters website – a comprehensive source of plain-English information, videos and other resources for farmers and growers on climate change, agricultural greenhouse gases, soil carbon and current and future options for reducing farm-sourced emissions.
• Delivering climate change training for rural professionals, in partnership with Phil Journeaux at AgFirst, and the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management (NZIPIM). 
• Writing articles for rural media explaining the science behind the main agricultural greenhouse gases and soil carbon, and current options for reducing emissions and increasing carbon sequestration in the soil.