The GRA at a glance
The Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) was formed in 2009 to find ways to grow more food without growing greenhouse gas emissions.
The GRA promotes international cooperation and investment in research to mitigate the effect of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. The GRA continues to grow and its membership includes more than 60 countries. This includes many of the world's major agricultural producers. The GRA also partners with international and regional organisations that pass knowledge on to policy makers, the science community, and farming leaders.
GRA member countries, shown in dark blue
MPI supports GRA goals
The GRA aims to:
- reduce the emissions intensity of agricultural production systems
- find more opportunities to increase the potential for soil carbon storage (sequestration).
The GRA gives New Zealand scientists the opportunity to work with world-renowned institutes and researchers. It also helps them to share knowledge and expertise with the global science community.
MPI strongly supports and promotes the priorities and goals of the GRA. We contribute to collaborative research projects and scientific capability-building activities.
New Zealand:
- is a founding member of the GRA
- hosts the GRA Secretariat, including the special representative
- co-chairs the Livestock Research Group of the GRA
- participates in the Croplands and Integrative Research Groups of the GRA
The New Zealand page of the GRA website includes a complete list of our activities.
Find out more
New Zealand-funded GRA activities
Call for proposals open: Ireland–New Zealand agriculture and climate joint research and technology initiative 2026
The 2026 Call for Proposals under the Ireland–New Zealand Agriculture and Climate Joint Research and Technology Initiative opened on 30 June 2026.
The Call invites eligible Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) in New Zealand and Ireland to submit joint research proposals. The closing date for proposal submissions is 30 September 2026 at 14:00 (IST).
The initiative supports research that addresses shared challenges facing pasture-based livestock systems in both countries and aligns with national priorities. It aims to accelerate the development of practical solutions/tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture through strengthened collaboration between New Zealand and Irish researchers.
Call mission
Proposals submitted under the 2026 Call should address the following mission:
"Understand, quantify and evaluate the cumulative impact, interactions and implementation potential of greenhouse gas mitigations, including bundled or stacked mitigation approaches, in a pastoral bovine system over a full production cycle."
Call documentation
Further information on the 2026 Call [PDF, 917 KB]
Application process
Applications must be submitted online through the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's (DAFM) online submission system. No other methods of submission will be accepted.
Instructions on registration and completion of the online application process [PDF, 1.5 MB]
Information webinars 2026
Information webinars for researchers will be held following the Call launch:
- Irish applicants: Wednesday 15 July, 10am (IST)
- NZ applicants: Thursday 16 July, 10am (NZST)
Researchers interested in applying are encouraged to attend the relevant webinar to learn more about the Call requirements and application process.
Initial communication on the 2026 call for proposals [PDF, 196 KB]
European Commission's FACCE-JPI Joint Research Call on Novel Technologies, Solutions and Systems to Reduce Agricultural Greenhouse Gases in Animal Production Systems
To support the objectives of the GRA, AgResearch scientists are involved in 2 research projects in the international programme.
"Grass to Gas" aims to learn about and find ways to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from pasture based sheep systems. The participating countries alongside New Zealand include France, Ireland, Norway, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.
"MELS" aims to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from livestock systems. The participating countries alongside New Zealand include Chile, Denmark, France, Ireland, Germany, Greece, and Poland.
Latin America Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology
MPI supports the objectives of the GRA through regional research and capability projects. Since 2011, New Zealand has supported livestock projects in partnership with the Latin America Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology (FONTAGRO). The participating Latin American countries include Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Regional platform for the sustainable intensification of livestock
Competitive livestock systems in the context of climate change
Livestock greenhouse gases reduction in the Andean region
Livestock and climate change: Applied research and knowledge
Fellowships and awards
As well as supporting research collaborations, New Zealand supports technical training awards, co-funded PhD scholarships, postdoctoral fellowships, and senior scientist awards.
New Zealand Global Research Alliance Doctoral Scholarship
The New Zealand Global Research Alliance Doctoral Scholarship (NZ-GRADS) is offered to science students from developing countries who want to complete their PhD at a New Zealand university. Research topics must be related to greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural systems, primarily livestock. Innovative and novel aspects of this will be considered, especially in relation to new technologies or new applications of existing technologies.
The Climate, Food and Farming, Global Research Alliance Development Scholarships Programme
The Climate, Food and Farming, Global Research Alliance Development Scholarships Programme (CLIFF-GRADS) provides short-term grants for PhD students from developing countries to undertake scientific training and research on:
- the measurement and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural systems
- carbon storage in agricultural systems
- quantification and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from food loss and waste.
Graduate Research Grants in Africa
New Zealand is supporting Global Research Alliance Graduate Research Grants (GRA-GRG) through African universities which are members of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM). These grants are aimed at teaching graduate and post-graduate students in Africa to conduct applied research on agricultural greenhouse gases.
Who to contact
If you have questions about the Global Research Alliance and New Zealand's involvement, email info@mpi.govt.nz