Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
Co–Chairs: Harry Clark (New Zealand), Martin Scholten (the Netherlands)
Last meeting date: 23-24 June 2015, Lodi, Italy
Next meeting date: 19-20 February 2016, Melbourne, Australia
Summary of activities from the past six months and identification of any issues
(Overview or any summary comments, issues needing to be raised with Council)

LRG continues to maintain its momentum and relevance with strong participation by GRA member countries and observers. The LRG’s six Research
Networks are a critical way in which it drives research and enables engagement by scientists around the world in support of its objectives.

Capability building remains a core focus for the LRG, with a number of activities underway during the first six months of 2015 including training workshops
in Africa, ongoing collaborative projects and scientific exchanges.

The LRG continues to broaden and deepen its engagement with key partners, which is increasing the relevance and reach of LRG expertise and research
outcomes to farmers and industry. Highlights in 2015 included partnering with the FAO to deliver major implementation programmes related to manure
management and methane from enteric fermentation through the UNEP Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), and the establishment of a new EU funding
round (ERA-NET) on livestock GHG emissions measurement and mitigation that links specifically to the GRA. Work is also underway to better understand
the activities and potential points of interaction between the LRG and the Global Alliance on Climate Smart Agriculture.

The LRG engaged with the Soil C/N and I&M Groups and a range of other international institutions to define a set of activities on soil carbon in grasslands.
Progressing these discussions, defining a project and clearly articulating the value-add that the LRG/GRA would bring is a key goal for the next 12 months.

Work to significantly increase communication of the LRG’s achievements and the GRA overall is underway. This includes a glossy brochure on the LRG and
its achievements over the past 4 years and a case study database of country experiences and successes in reducing emissions intensity from livestock
production, as well as our ongoing quarterly newsletters. We will also be updating the LRG section of the new GRA website.

Resourcing to meet countries’ ambitions for the LRG and the wider GRA remains a limiting factor, both in terms of (i) financial resources from countries to
enable participation of their scientists (as well as to better link national scientific and policy objectives), and (ii) resourcing to support LRG activities
including the Research Networks and capability building. The LRG co-chairs have compiled a report for Council’s decision that describes critical enabling
factors and barriers to engagement by its member countries and makes recommendations for ways to improve the current situation.
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Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
1. Understanding the current research landscape
(Global stocktake to identify gaps in the current knowledge, to promote or facilitate research activity)
Activities
Timeline
Lead /
Participating
Progress
Partner
In progress
Role of the Group
Countries
(undertake,
facilitate or
influence)
Undertake
High level reviews of countries’ activities based on
information provided by LRG member countries to
highlight progress, identify barriers to enhanced
action and facilitate the mobilisation of resources
to deliver on the goals and expectations of Council.
Stocktake of the research activities by members on
aquatic production and GHG emissions
By Sept 2015
Co-Chairs
Ongoing
Netherlands
In progress
Undertake
Internal across GRA members
Internal across GRA members
2. Research networks and databases
(These are a way of advancing collaborative research activities, organising data sharing activities opportunities and enhancing knowledge transfer)
2
Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
Activities
Timeline
Lead /
Participatin
g
Progress
Identification and exploitation of
synergies between adaptation and
mitigation
On-going
Co-Chairs
Awaiting template from Secretariat
Continued operation of a Manure
Management Network
On-going
France and
Vietnam/
many LRG
members
Continued operation of a Feed and
Nutrition Network
On-going
USA and
Spain/
many LRG
members
Continued operation of an Animal
Selection, Genetics and Genomics
Network
On-going
Netherlands
/ many LRG
members
The MMN met in June 2015, has revised its
scope and goals and has a new cocoordinating country. It is working on a
compilation of mitigation methods and
strategies, metadata reporting
requirements, and harmonising protocols
for GHG measurements across the manure
management chain. For more contact
Jonathan Levin, levin@supagro.inra.fr
Met most recently in June 2015. A number
of projects currently underway including a
4-year project funded by FACCE-JPI
including a global database of methane
emissions related to feeds. For more
contact: Alex Hristov, anh13@psu.edu
Two international interdisciplinary
meetings being organised, publication
completed, working group on ‘resource
efficiency’ established. See:
www.asggn.org
3
Role of the
Group
Countries
(undertak
e,
facilitate
or
influence)
Facilitate
Facilitate
Partner
Internal; main relevant work
areas in animal health and
grasslands, but also animal
selection and genetics
CCAC Manure Knowledge Kiosk
(contact
karin.andeweg@wur.nl), plus
other national and international
science organisations and
funding bodies (time-limited for
specific projects and on-going
for enduring relationships)
Facilitate
National and international
science organisations and
funding bodies (time-limited for
specific projects and on-going
for enduring relationships)
Facilitate
National and international
science organisations and
funding bodies (time-limited for
specific projects and on-going
for enduring relationships)
Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
Continued operation of a Rumen
Microbial Genomics Network
On-going
UK, USA /
many LRG
members
Two major international projects nearing
completion and network workshop
planned. See: www.rmgnetwork.org.nz
Facilitate
Continued operation of an Animal
Health and GHG Emissions Intensity
Network
On-going
UK / ILRI,
many LRG
members
Facilitate
Continued operation of a Grasslands
Research Network
On-going
Uruguay /
many LRG
members
Operation of a Spanish speaking
expert network under Fontagro, and
translation/dissemination of English
language documents for Spanish
speaking audiences
On-going
Latin
American
countries,
Spain
Met in March 2015. Engaging with social
scientists and economists; pursuing
funding options for a project targeting
animal health interventions to reduce
emissions intensity. See:
animalhealthnetwork@adas.co.uk
Ongoing regional stocktakes of research
activities on soil C sequestration and GHG
emissions from grasslands (Europe and
Latin America) including a workshop in
Uruguay in May 2015. Developing
relationship with FAO (GASL) and GRA’s
Soil C&N Group. For more contact:
flattanzi@inia.org.uy
An expert network will be formed under
the Fontagro-funded projects to facilitate
information exchange for Spanish speaking
researchers. This will be supported by the
translation and dissemination of English
language documents into Spanish by the
REMEDIA project and its blog, at
www.redremedia.wordpress.com
Facilitate
National and international
science organisations and
funding bodies (time-limited for
specific projects and on-going
for enduring relationships)
National and international
science organisations and
funding bodies (time-limited for
specific projects and on-going
for enduring relationships)
CCAFS, GASL, GRA Soil C/N
Group plus other national and
international science
organisations and funding
bodies (time-limited for specific
projects and on-going for
enduring relationships).
Influence
3. Capability Building
(Work to build capability in GRA member countries (and beyond) to understand, estimate and identify opportunities for reducing the emissions intensity of livestock)
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Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
Activities
Timeline
Lead /
Participating
Progress
Role of
the Group
Countries
(undertak
e,
facilitate
or
influence)
Facilitate
Partner
Compilation of information on other
relevant training and fellowship
opportunities for the LRG, made
available via the GRA website
On-going
New Zealand/
Secretariat with
input from all
LRG members
‘Global Research Alliance Senior
Scientist (GRASS) Awards’ to build
capability and mutually beneficial
partnerships between New Zealand
and other GRA member countries
LEARN (Livestock Emissions
Abatement Research Network)
Fellowships to build capability in
developing countries through
training in New Zealand research
institutions
GRA Borlaug Fellowships to build
capacity and capability in developing
countries through training in USDA
institutions and/or US universities
FONTAGRO project underway in
Latin America to reduce the
uncertainty in national GHG beef
cattle inventories, test mitigation
Openended
applicatio
n process
New Zealand/ all
GRA members
Summary information circulated as
background paper for LRG (available on
LRG closed website). To be updated
with information provided by LRG
members
Applications being received and
processed.
Facilitate
Internal across GRA members
Openended
applicatio
n process
New Zealand, all
developing
countries
Scheme includes technician, postgraduate and post-doctoral fellowships.
Developing promotion opportunities
including through LRG members
Facilitate
Internal across GRA members
Openended
applicatio
n process
2015
USA, all GRA
developing
country members
Ongoing – being promoted through LRG
newsletter
Facilitate
Open to all (see application
guidelines)
Argentina, Chile,
Colombia,
Dominican
Project ongoing
Facilitate
Inter-American Development Bank
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Internal across GRA members
Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
options and strengthen research
capabilities
Two additional FONTAGRO projects
on dairy systems in the Andean
region and silvo-pastoral systems in
central America have been initiated
End 2016
Republic,
Uruguay
Costa Rica,
Honduras,
Nicaragua,
Panamá,
Bolivia, Colombia,
Ecuador and Perú
NZ, NL and other
interested
members
Engagement programme for Africa
On going
Engagement workshop for
Mediterranean countries (Tunisia)
March
2015
Netherlands
Explore possibilities for an
EU/ASEAN programme with the
ASEAN secretariat and the GRA
Council members
On going
Indonesia,
Malaysia,
Thailand,
Vietnam with
support from NL,
NZ and Japan
Project ongoing
Facilitate
Inter-American Development Bank
Joint workshop with AnimalChange held
in Nairobi, February 2015. Development
of a programme of activities is
underway although funding sources are
still to be identified.
Portugal, France, Spain, Italy, Malta,
Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Tunisia
attended the workshop and identified
impact and climatic concerns as well as
regional request and requirements, and
the role the GRA could play.
Approach ASEAN to get regional
support for work in GHG emissions
mitigation from livestock.
Undertake
RUFORUM, ILRI, AnimalChange
Facilitate/
influence
ASEAN
4. Collaborative Research Projects
(Include here details about opportunities to share and generate knowledge and technologies to find ways to grow more food without growing greenhouse gas
emissions – work that would not have happened without the GRA)
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Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
Activities
Timeline
Lead /
Participating
Progress
Role of the Group
Partner
Countries
(undertake,
facilitate or
influence)
Given the growing number of research projects in direct support of the goals and objectives of the LRG, it is no longer practical to list each individual project in the LRG
work plan. These are now included in a separate database, annexed to the LRG work plan and made available through the LRG page of the GRA website
(http://globalresearchalliance.org/research/livestock/). The following section of the workplan focuses at a higher level, listing the specific mechanisms and research
programmes to support research collaboration.
Targeted funding by GRA member
Various
LRG member
Range of activities underway, and some
Influence
Various (see project database)
governments to support the
govts, partners
projects have been completed
objectives of the GRA
New Zealand Fund for Global
Funding
New Zealand/
The GPLER is a competitive fund created by Influence
Various (see project database)
Partnerships in Livestock Emissions
until
GRA member
the New Zealand Government to support
Research (GPLER)
2019 but countries
livestock emissions mitigation research in
all
support of the objectives of the GRA. It was
rounds
open to proposals from all GRA members,
now
provided that minimum criteria about New
closed
Zealand participation and co-funding were
met. Two rounds are under contract; final
proposals for a third round were evaluated
in December 2014 and contract
negotiations are nearly complete. See:
www.mpi.govt.nz/nzlivestockemissionsfun
d
EU Food Security, Agriculture and
on-going FACCE
The FACCE-JPI supports collaborative
Influence
FACCE-JPI
Climate Change (FACCE) Joint
members, with
research projects that fit the overall
Programming Initiative
potential for
priority matrix for this call, as well as
other countries individual country priorities. Under this
to engage as
fund, countries have each funded their
strategic
own researchers for their contributions to
partners or
collaborative research proposals. At least 5
7
Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
Filling the Research Gap Fund
20132016
EU Horizons 2020: ERA NET on GHGs
20162020
collaborators in
specific
initiatives
Australia, in
collaboration
with interested
other GRA
member
countries
Led by Ireland
and EU
countries and
GRA members
projects with direct links to LRG priorities
were funded in a joint call in 2013 (ending
until 2017).
This fund was set up to address Australian
science needs but one of its priorities was
to align with the objectives of the GRA.
Two funding rounds were held, and several
collaborative projects, involving funding
from Australia and other countries, have
been set up to address GRA-related
research topics. For details, see:
www.daff.gov.au/climatechange/carbonfar
mingfutures/ftrg
The EU has initiated a process to issue a
call under a new ERA NET funding round
that focuses on GHG emissions
measurement and mitigation and will link
specifically to the GRA. The ERA-NET
process incentivises collaboration between
countries on research by providing up to 33
percent additional EU funding for EU
member states that can be used (indirectly)
to fund the management of the call, as well
as to fund additional nationally led
activities and to contribute to the overall
pool of research funding - up to a total of
Euro $5 million for this call.
Influence,
through
LRG, CRG
and Soil C/N
Groups
Influence
FACCE-JPI, European Commission
5. Good practice guidance and methodologies
(To improve the sharing of research results, knowledge, contacts, technologies and good practice from the GRA research groups with farmers, farming organisations,
the private sector, international/regional research organisations and NGO’s.)
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Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
Activities
Timeline
Lead /
Participating
Progress
Contributions to a best
practice guide on soil C
stocks, coordinated by the
I&M Group
I&M Group is
managing a
small group
of experts to
produce draft
outline,
completion
target date to
be confirmed
Led by Australia
and Canada;
contributions by
interested and
relevant experts
from LRG
Review of in vitro and in
vivo experiment design and
techniques
2015
Appropriate expertise needed to reflect
issues specific to soil C stocks under grazed
pastures and fodder production; also issues
of land-use change; role of forestry.
Grasslands network coordinator has made
contact to provide livestock interests and
perspectives for LRG. Countries interested
in contributing should contact the I&M
Group co-chair, Brian McConkey,
brian.mcconkey@agr.gc.ca
The FNN network is working on two review
papers looking at (i) designing, conducting
and intepreting in vitro batch culture
experiments, and (ii) the suitability of
current in vivo measurement techniques.
Contact: Alex Hristov, FNN co-leader,
anh13@psu.edu
Scientists
engaged in
FNN, from
Spain, UK,
Netherlands,
New Zealand
6. Policy Support and Links to International Initiatives
(Outline the work with ‘partners’ and the multiple modes of interactions)
9
Role of the
Group
Countries
(undertake,
facilitate or
influence)
Influence
Facilitate via
FNN
partner
To be determined
Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
Activities
Timeline
Lead /
Participating
Progress
Role of the
Group Countries
(undertake,
facilitate or
influence)
Partner
Engagement with the SAI
Platform to develop
opportunities for industry
engagement
On going
Led by Co-chairs with
input from
interested countries
and experts
Undertake
SAI
Spanish translation of the
SAI/LRG joint publication
December
2015
Uruguay
A roadmap for interaction with SAI is
developed that builds on the completion of
the joint LRG/SAI brochure on mitigation
options. This includes identifying activities to
be jointly undertaken.
Exploration of potential to translate into a
Spanish version.
Undertake
SAI
Presence at Climate-Smart
Agriculture conference
(Montpelier, March 2015) and
workshop with CCAFS about
joint objectives
Presentations on GRA and LRG
at Milan Expo 2015
March 2015
LRG co-chairs
Advanced understanding of the relationship
between GACSA, and deepened relationship
with CCAFS
Influence
June 2015
LRG co-chairs
Undertake /
influence
Collaborate with FAO, with
support from CCAC, to advance
the GLEAM project on
achieving practice change in
ruminant livestock production
systems that result in reduced
emissions of enteric methane
per unit of product, increased
efficiency and greater
contribution to food security as
2014-2017
Global coordination
by NZ with FAO, and
experts in LRG
member countries
LRG profile raising undertaken, as well as an
opportunity to further explore the
relationship with GACSA
A project coordinator (from NZ's GRA team)
has been appointed to work at FAO to
manage the project. Regional workshops are
underway in Argentina, Sri Lanka and
Ethiopia. Contact: victoria.hatton@fao.org
10
Undertake
FAO, CCAC, UNEP
Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
well as social, economic and
other environmental goals
Manure Management Kiosk (in
conjunction with CCAC)
2014-2016
MMN coordinator
and program leader
of MMIP, Costa Rica,
Ethiopia and
Thailand
Key activities focus on: (i) Global Manure
Knowledge Kiosk with the support of
regional centres; (ii) global assessment of
existing manure management practices; and
(iii) identification and design of high-impact
projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America to
reduce methane emissions from manure.
Contact: karin.andeweg@wur.nl and
theun.vellinga@wur.nl
Undertake/
facilitate
UNEP, CCAC, FAO
GASL, GMI
Sharing experiences in
engaging with farmers and
promoting the adoption of
mitigation practices
On-going
Co-chairs via LRG
newsletters and at
next LRG meeting
Undertake
Agriculture
extension
institutions in LRG
members, farmer
organisations
Partnering with the FAO Global
Agenda for Sustainable
Livestock (GASL), via the LRG’s
Grasslands Research Network,
and by routine invitation of
representatives of LRG and
GASL to each other’s meetings
Develop a document that
demonstrates the benefits of
improved understanding and
management of greenhouse
gas emissions intensity for
On-going
GRN coordinators,
LRG co-chairs and
GASL
Input sought on country experiences in
engaging with farmers including successes
and barriers e.g. Uruguay’s ‘family farms’
project. Exploring the possibility of a
dedicated session at the next LRG meeting to
discuss possible next steps the LRG could
take.
GRN Coordinators will establish links with
GASL (restoring value to grasslands
workstream) to identify synergies and
explore opportunities for further
collaboration. GRA Soil C/N Group will also
be brought in.
Facilitate, via the
GRN and LRG cochairs
FAO, GASL, GRA
Soil C/N Group
December
2015
Co-Chairs
Co-Chairs will consult with member
countries to clearly set out how improved
emissions inventories can support national
development goals (to reduce emissions
intensity, and to monitor and document
Undertake
Member countries,
CCAFS
11
Six month report to the Alliance Council
Date: 30 June 2015
Group: Livestock Research Group
achieving national
development goals
Document country activities
and achievements in reducing
emissions intensity from
livestock
Ongoing
Co-Chairs with input
from all countries
improvements in livestock production
efficiency).
Database of case studies of country
successes in reducing emissions intensity and
improving productivity is being developed
with input from LRG countries. Examples will
be made available through the LRG website.
12
Undertake
Member countries,
CCAFS, ILRI