In New Zealand, agriculture makes up half of total greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, methane and nitrous oxide are the two main agricultural greenhouse gases, with methane from livestock, such as sheep and cattle, making up the majority. This high percentage of emissions from agriculture is relatively unique compared to other countries, so there is real opportunity for New Zealand to take a leadership position in its agri-food decarbonisation transition.
Over two days, the conference focused on the various solutions available to mitigate the impact of the climate crisis. A lot of the focus was placed on the need to accelerate investment and scale innovative technologies, which can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in livestock. For example:
-
Methane inhibitors - a chemical compound that suppresses the activity of methanogens in the rumen (in layman's terms, they stop the cow producing methane). Inhibitors can be delivered as a feed additive or as a bolus (a small capsule)
-
Vaccines - similar to the inhibitors, these would suppress the activity of methanogens in the rumen (again stopping the methane)
-
Feed additives - seaweed (or in Latin, Asparagopsis) has been shown to reduce ruminant methane emissions
-
Animal breeding - breeding programmes which select low-emitting livestock
While some of these disruptive innovations are not yet commercially available in New Zealand, and some might not suit current farming systems, if commercialised and scaled, they could become an important part of the decarbonisation of New Zealand’s agri-food. And while I always advocate for a reduction in meat and dairy production first, society continues to be dominated by meat eaters, so disruptive innovation will help us decarbonise much quicker.
However, while I believe these innovations have a role to play, I was disappointed to find that nature and biodiversity were mostly missing from the programme. Many readers will already be aware that the agri-food system is the largest driver of deforestation, water consumption, biodiversity loss and soil degradation. In fact, on our current trajectory, scientists believe we’re heading towards the sixth mass extinction (for context the last mass extinction was the dinosaurs…). Addressing both the climate and biodiversity crises together couldn’t be more important.
In response, there is a growing movement in many parts of the world focused on ‘regenerative’ farming principles. Last year, Andy Cato, a farmer and one half of music duo Groove Armada, appeared on Clarkson’s Farm (a hit TV series in the UK starring Jeremy Clarkson) sharing basic methods to check soil health. As a result, ‘regen’ hit the mainstream UK audience with extraordinary impact. Andy himself is the first to recognise that ‘regenerative’ doesn’t have an agreed definition, but his company Wildfarmed has created its own standards that aim to:
-
Improve soil health, which allows the soil to remove more CO2 from the atmosphere. Healthy soils can also support farmers with climate risks such as floods and droughts, as the soil will be able to act as a sponge
-
Reduce inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides, which can help reduce one of the biggest emitters in companies’ greenhouse gas footprints and can also stop run-off, improving the quality of waterways
-
Enhance biodiversity on farm
-
Provide great tasting food that is nutrient dense
Organic Aotearoa New Zealand states on its website that “there’s no universal definition of regenerative agriculture. In general, the regenerative movement seeks to build more resilient farm ecosystems from the soil upward. ‘Regenerative’ farmers tend to use soil-conserving and soil-building practices such as minimising tillage, cover cropping, keeping the soil covered and increasing biodiversity in pastures and crops. These practices can help to increase farm health, while drawing more carbon into soils – which is good for our climate, good for farm sustainability and good for the future of agricultural soils.”
Some of you might be saying, well, regenerative agriculture sounds very similar to organic, and you’d be right, they share similar goals. But not all regenerative agriculture is organic, as some farmers might use pesticides and herbicides, and not all organic agriculture is regenerative. I think it’s important to state both have an important role to play. There is a need for a diversity of solutions available for farmers and growers who are on different points on their journey towards more sustainable practices.
Whatever you think of the term ‘regen ag’, many retailers and global brands are adopting it, including Nestle and Danone. In addition, global certifications such as Rainforest Alliance have recently updated their Sustainable Agriculture Standard, focusing on three critical impact areas: regenerative agriculture, climate and livelihoods.
Closer to home, Westpac has been supporting its agribusiness customers to build more sustainable and resilient farms. It developed a ‘Sustainable Farm Loan’ that aims to encourage farmers to achieve the Westpac Sustainable Farm Standard, a standard that includes some regenerative practices, e.g. no till.
Other businesses such as NZ Merino, which supplies brands such as All Birds, have opted to create their own ZQ Regenerative Index, which helps farmers benchmark and apply regenerative practices. The Index encourages farmers to explore the complex interactions between their livestock, soils, climate, ecology and community. NZ Merino then works with farmers to apply strategies to continually improve their performance against key indicators.
In conclusion, there are some regenerative practices already in place but we need to scale impact if we are to tackle both the climate crisis and biodiversity crisis. In Aotearoa New Zealand there is a unique opportunity to become a leading example of a regenerative agri-food system, using both pioneering innovation and nature friendly farming practices.
If you are working in the regenerative agriculture space and would be interested in sharing your knowledge and connecting with others on best practice, we’d love to hear from you, please contact me at [email protected].
Photo credit: Matt Dowdle Photography