How can agriculture help achieve the 2°C climate change target? Delivering food security while reducing emissions in the global food system November 2, 2015 An event co-sponsored by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security and the World Bank Presentation Delivering on a transformed food sector: Frontiers in mitigation Steven Shafer, Associate Administrator, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

1. Agricultural Greenhouse Gas
Mitigation
Steven Shafer
Associate Administrator for National Programs
Agricultural Research Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
November 2, 2015

2. http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/
mitigation_technologies/
GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

3. http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

4. Proposed N2O Mitigation Strategies
• Improve NUE = nitrogen use
efficiency (e.g. US corn NUE*,
1995-1999: 37%)
• Source, Rate, Placement, Timing
• N process inhibitors (nitrification,
urease)
• Cover crops
• Crop selection
•Improved irrigation management
(timing, application rate, method)
• Reduced tillage
• Biochar
• Crop breeding
*REN = (crop N uptake in fertilized plot – crop N uptake in unfertilized plot)/
(fertilizer N applied in fertilized plot)
Michel Cavigelli, USDA-ARS-BARC

5. http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

6. http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

7. Dietary Management to Decrease
Methane Emissions from Beef
Feedlots
Increased grain in the diet decreases methane produced in the rumen (due to increased
acidity in the rumen and increased propionate).
Steam flaked- or high-moisture corn decreases enteric methane produc:on by about
20% compared to feeding dry-rolled corn-based high-concentrate finishing diets (due to
more efficient diges:on of starch in the rumen and less starch in feces).
Enteric methane produc:on decreased about 4 to 6% for each 1% of supplemental
added fat. Because of adverse effects of fat on ruminal fermenta:on, supplemental fat
levels are usually limited to 3 or 4% of dietary dry maLer. Dis:ller’s grains are one
source of fat.
Feeding grasses or alfalfa as silage (high moisture), rather than as dry hay in high forage
diets, will decrease enteric methane emissions.
In high forage diets, decreasing the par:cle size of the forage will decrease enteric
methane losses by 5 to 20%.
Compiled from: www.ars.usda.gov/research/programs/programs.htm?np_code=212&docid=22546

8. http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

9. http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

10. http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/
mitigation_technologies/
GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

12. http://www.usda.gov/oce/
climate_change/
mitigation_technologies/
GHGMitigationProduction_
Cost.htm

13. http://www.usda.gov/oce/
climate_change/
mitigation_technologies/
GHGMitigationProduction_
Cost.htm

14. Date:
11/13/15
Global Research Alliance
on agricultural greenhouse gases
:

15. Launched in December 2009
Brings countries together to find ways to grow more food
without growing greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., emissions
intensity goal):
• Improve understanding, measurement & esHmaHon of
agricultural emissions
• Find ways to reduce emissions intensity of agricultural
producHon systems and increase
potenHal for soil carbon sequestraHon, while
enhancing food security
• Improve farmer access to agricultural miHgaHon
technologies & best pracHces
• Membership is voluntary with no funding obligaHons
Enable acHviHes that would not have happened without
the GRA
The Global Research
Alliance (GRA)

16. Countries are members
• 46 member countries:
Korea
Lithuania
Malaysia
Mexico
Nicaragua
Netherlan
ds
New
Zealand
Norway
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Ecuador
Egypt
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Honduras
Indonesi
a
Italy
Ireland
Japan
Philippines
Poland
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Tunisia
United
Kingdom
United
States
Uruguay
Vietnam
Argentina
Australia
Belgium
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Denmark
Dominican
Republic

17. Partner Organizations
• InternaHonal Partners of the GRA:
• African Development Bank
• ConsultaHve Group on InternaHonal
Agricultural Research
• Food and Agriculture OrganizaHon
• Inter-American Development Bank
• Inter-American InsHtute for CooperaHon on
Agriculture
• Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher
EducaHon Centre (CATIE)
• World Bank
• World Farmers’ OrganisaHon

18. Research Groups
SoilCarbonand
NitrogenCycling
Cross-cutting Groups
Inventoriesand
Monitoring
Paddy Rice
Research Group
Livestock
Research Group
Croplands
Research Group

19. MAGGnet
Metadata Entry Template
Worksheet Tabs
• Experiment descrip;on
• Experiment loca;on
• Experiment dura;on
• Climate a>ributes
• Soil and drainage
a>ributes
• Data type
• Treatments
• Key Findings
• Journal cita;ons
• Primary contact
GOAL:
15 min per site
• General
Instruc;ons
• Color coded
worksheets
• Frequent use of
drop-down
menus
Review Updatehttp://globalresearchalliance.org/

20. Ø 20 countries
Ø 315
experiments
Ø 8 experiments
in Brazil
• 14 unique climate
subdivisions
• 11 surface soil
textures

21. Experimental Sites Summarized
Status
• 233 completed
• 82 ongoing
Dura;on
• 214 short-term (<1-3 yr)
• 54 mid-term (>3-10 yr)
• 47 long-term (>10 yr)
Common
Treatments
• Fer;lizer rate (68)
• Manure/Amendments
(52)
• Tillage type (43)
Review Update
Soil/GHG/
Plant
parameter
Projects
measuring
parameter
(%)
Soil carbon
83
N2O flux
82
CO2 flux
45
CH4 flux
29
Grain
56
Stover
35
Roots
9
http://globalresearchalliance.org/