New Zealand has established a contestable, international fund worth NZ$25 million to support research on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from pastoral farming.


New Zealand Agriculture Minister David Carter announced the New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Research at the inaugural ministerial meeting of the Global Research Alliance in Rome today.


The fund draws on the $45 million New Zealand committed to the Alliance in 2009, and it will be allocated over four years.


The fund is open to international scientists, and it is hoped that multi-stakeholder/country consortia bids will be put forward. Projects can be led by New Zealand or international participants, but must include a New Zealand partner. Co-funding from international participants will be encouraged.


The project proposals need to demonstrate a balance between innovative science and the achievement of cost effective and sustainable solutions for livestock farmers in New Zealand and around the world.


Fund Processes


As part of the process to manage the Fund, two panels are being set-up: a Strategic Science Panel and a Technical Assessment Panel.


The Strategic Science Panel will convene to establish the high-level research challenges the Fund will address. It will be chaired by the New Zealand Prime Minister&#39;s Chief Science Advisor Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, and will include eminent international and New Zealand representatives from the research and farming community.


There will then be a two-step process for assessing proposals. First an international Expression of Interest will be called and successful applicants will then be invited to submit full proposals.


It will be the job of the Technical Assessment Panel to assess both the expressions of interest and the full proposals and make recommendations to the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). Final decisions on successful projects will be made by MAF after consultation with other New Zealand government departments. Updated information will be provided as the fund processes are developed.


For more information on this announcement, please contact:


Dr Victoria Bradley
Operations Manager (International)
T: +64 6 351 8305

E: victoria.bradley@nzagrc.org.nz


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