Why we fund research
MPI aims to understand climate change and how it affects farming systems, livestock management, crops, horticulture, and forestry. We're also interested in how primary producers can adapt to a changing climate.
As part of our role as caretakers of the agricultural and forestry sectors, it is important we understand the work we and others are doing to mitigate and adapt to climate change. We also need to know how it's affecting New Zealand's environment.
New Zealand is in a relatively unique position for an OECD country with more than 50% of our greenhouse gas emissions produced by the agricultural sector. We are working to understand how we can improve and mitigate our emissions while maintaining or increasing agricultural productivity.
Main research programmes
Greenhouse gas inventory
We research how to improve our national forestry and agriculture greenhouse gas inventory and reporting.
Greenhouse gas inventory reports
Sustainable land management and climate change
We research the impacts of, and adaptation to, climate change, forestry, and agriculture greenhouse gas mitigation. This includes cross-cutting issues such as social science, adoption, and practice change.
Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change reports
Methane, nitrous oxide and soil carbon, and farm systems mitigation in agriculture
This research through the New Zealand Agricultural Gas Research Centre supports capability development and the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.
The New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre website
Agricultural greenhouse gas
We are involved in internationally coordinated research into finding ways to grow more food without increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Global Research Alliance (GRA)
Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Research (GPLER)
International greenhouse gas research (ERA-GAS)
New Zealand agricultural greenhouse gas research centre
Maximising forest carbon
We're researching new methods of measuring carbon stock changes in forest trees to improve accuracy. The research explores factors that affect how much carbon a forest stores. These factors include forest management activities.
Starting in 2023, the 4-year research is a joint programme between MPI, the Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Conservation. The research is part of a suite of work in the Maximising Carbon Sequestration initiative.
Maximising Forest Carbon draft science plan summary [PDF, 248 KB]
Other areas of focus
We partner with research organisations, other government departments, and the sector to investigate a broad range of environmental and climate change concerns.
