A $2 MILLION carbon initiative to explore new and innovative products, practices and technologies to improve carbon storage or reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) in Australia's agricultural sector has been announced by AgriFutures Australia.
With a lot of work already underway on carbon measuring and accounting, AgriFutures Australia senior manager Jennifer Medway said the program would instead focus on providing practical solutions for those in the agricultural industry wishing to become more efficient at storing carbon or reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
"A lot of farmers don't know where to start and we don't have a huge number of frameworks to follow that think outside the square in this space," Ms Medway said.
"With these carbon initiatives there will be new information that will show farmers they don't have to take a hit to their back pocket and that you can also add value to your existing operations."
The program is calling for research proposals that have the potential to deliver high impact and practical benefits for farmers, fishers and foresters across six investment areas; innovative carbon storage, GHGE reduction and avoidance solutions, models for carbon market engagement, market development opportunities, project partnerships, novel approaches to carbon farming co-benefits, and producer opportunities in the agricultural value-chain.
The project proposals being sought are hoped to build on the knowledge and capability of producers to diversify incomes and increase participation in carbon markets and implement practice change that reduces the carbon footprint of agriculture.
The program is also seeking proposals that create a better understanding and engagement in market development and global trade opportunities, overcome existing barriers to participation in carbon markets and identify new products, practices and technologies to augment existing production systems.
Ms Medway said AgriFutures had a unique mandate in that it is able to translate the research between various industries.
"We aren't tied to one particular production system or one particular approach, which really helps," Ms Medway said.
With much research already underway in the carbon storage space and reducing GHGE, the organisers are aiming to create a strong alignment between the research activities they fund.
"We have a really engaged panel that will pull together a bit of a narrative around the program, so rather than everyone just going off and doing their own thing hopefully we should be able to build a package at the end of it," Ms Medway said.
"There is a lot already happening in this space, and that's a great thing as long as the work is complementary and we aren't duplicating activities that are already underway."
The project proposals will be considered by an expert panel of representatives from industry, government, research development corporations and AgriFutures Australia.
With the agricultural industry playing a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gases and meeting reduction targets under the Paris Agreement, many of the sector's advocacy groups have already set targets to become carbon neutral such as The National Farmers' Federation which is advocating for a net zero carbon target by 2050 and Australia's red meat industry setting the target to be carbon neutral by 2030.
"We want producers and growers to know that there is a lot happening in this space and we are only at the beginning of what's possible," Ms Medway said.
"I think farmers are definitely open to it, it's just about increasing awareness around the different opportunities available to them in this space."
- More information: go to agrifutures.com.au/ researchers/
