Increased value creation in food production through characterizing and mitigating emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture in Norway

Food production results in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. On the other hand, agricultural soils also have a potential to sequester carbon, and thus mitigate CO2 emission. Optimizing food production while minimizing net GHG emissions, represents a signifi cant challenge for Norwegian agriculture. In Norway, methane contributes with about 45 % of the total GHG emission from agriculture, and of that enteric fermentation of ruminants is responsible for about 85 %. Accordingly, it is important to reduce methan e emission from ruminants. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has developed a model (Holos) that enables the GHG emissions from a single farm to be estimated from a systems perspective, and they have already developed considerable expertise in methan e mitigating strategies. In the present project Norwegian research institutions will cooperate with AAFC to: I. Develop a Norwegian version of the Canadian Holos model to predict net GHG emissions from agriculture II. Elucidate the potential for additive s that can mitigate methane emissions from ruminants The primary objectives of the present project are: a) To increase the value creation in food production through increased efficiency, i.e. more food with less GHG emission from agriculture in Norway b) To support the development of a science-based approach for estimating and mitigating agricultural GHG emissions in Norway The potential for enhanced value creation as a result of this project is considerable. Assuming a 180 NOK per tonne CO2 a 10% red uction of net GHG emission from the agricultural sector would amount to as much as 86 mill NOK yearly.