Those who criticise He Waka Eke Noa for relying on ‘unproven technofixes’ ignore New Zealand’s very strong history of agricultural innovation, argues Kelly Forster
Opinion: On a stud sheep farm in Southland, Leon and Wendy Black are breeding low-methane-emitting rams, which Leon says gives farmers a viable option for reducing their methane emissions.
As Leon says, we now have the tools to measure methane production, and through tweaking the genetics the right way, we can reduce emissions in small incremental steps, improving every generation.
Over three breeding generations this could reduce a farm’s methane emissions between 5 percent and 10 percent.
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This is a great example of the practical tools for farmers that are emerging from years of research, in this case involving the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium and Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
It is this sort of innovation that gives the He Waka Eke Noa Partners confidence that the recommended combination of a price on emissions and strong incentives to take up new practices and technologies will deliver a reduction in agricultural methane emissions by between 4 and 5.5 percent. Together with already expected reductions from current policies, and from the waste sector, this will meet the target of a 10 percent reduction in methane emissions by 2030.
These reductions will be achieved by adapting existing on-farm practices and technologies, along with developing and implementing new solutions.
It’s easy for sceptics to say we’re too optimistic about new technologies and accuse He Waka Eke Noa of ‘wishful thinking’ about ‘unproven technofixes’. That ignores New Zealand’s very strong history of agricultural innovation.
From the first refrigerated ships and electric fences, to breeding more efficient sheep and cattle, this country’s agricultural sector has a tradition of finding innovative solutions.
My dad was an innovator when I was growing up – breeding sheep that were more disease resistant. Working in the He Waka Eke Noa programme office has reinforced for me that most New Zealand farmers and growers are keen to learn and adopt new ideas to improve how they farm.
The search for ways to reduce emissions while maintaining viable farming businesses is an area of shared focus across industry, government and many excellent research organisations, including the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre and its partners. All the horses are pulling in the same direction, which makes it more likely we will get over the line.
There are more than a dozen areas of research at the pilot study stage, with many more ideas in the earlier discovery and proof of concept stages. While not every research project will lead to practical on-farm solutions, there is a solid base on which to be confident.
Now we have proven it is possible to breed low-methane-emitting sheep, research organisations and companies are turning their attention to breeding low-methane-emitting cattle.
The dairy sector, including DairyNZ, dairy companies, research organisations and agritech companies are also investing to test new technology and make it work in our unique pasture-based systems.
For example, there are trials of methane inhibitors; feed additives that reduce the activity of microorganisms in the rumen, called methanogens, which produce methane.
One of the promising feed additive products is Bovaer, developed by Royal DSM, a global science-based company. This reduces methane emissions from cows by more than 30 percent in non-pasture-based farming systems, where cows are kept indoors and feed is carried to them. Fonterra and DairyNZ are working with Royal DSM to test whether it can do the same in New Zealand’s pasture-based farming systems.
A probiotic called Kowbucha is being trialled by Fonterra in collaboration with the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium, Massey University and AgResearch. While it is still early days, a reduction in methane emissions of up to 20 percent from the first calf trials is a good result. A second round of calf trials is underway.
Asparagopsis, a type of seaweed, is also showing potential, with trials underway in Australia and New Zealand. Should the trials prove successful, a commercial solution could be available to New Zealand farmers.
All the signs are that some form of inhibitor will be commercially available by 2025.
In Canterbury, farmers and researchers are monitoring results from adding iron sulphate to effluent ponds. Initial results show reductions in methane from the pond of over 90 percent, which would reduce the farm’s total methane production by about 5 percent. This system is already commercially available.
We already have products on the market that can reduce nitrous oxide emissions from fertiliser. And New Zealand scientists are making great progress in developing new inhibitory compounds that can reduce nitrous oxide emissions from livestock.
For all these reasons, the He Waka Eke Noa partners are confident there will be enough options for farmers to reduce emissions and reach the 2030 targets. The partners are also confident farmers will respond to incentives to take up new practices and technologies, and emissions reduction targets will be met.
Farmers are already responding to the challenge of understanding their emissions – 61 percent of farms know their greenhouse gas emissions numbers, and we are working towards a target of 100 percent by the end of this year. Farmers are turning out in large numbers for workshops on understanding their numbers and planning to reduce emissions.
Having been in the room for hundreds of meetings and many debates over the past two years, I can say the He Waka Eke Noa approach will do what it says on the label – reduce agricultural emissions.
