Why we do 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
- how it's affecting New Zealand's environment.
New Zealand is in a relatively unique position for an OECD country – more than 50% of our greenhouse gas emissions are produced by the agricultural sector. We work constantly to understand how we can improve and mitigate our emissions while maintaining or increasing agricultural productivity.
Four main research programmes
1. Greenhouse gas inventory
We research into improving our national forestry and agriculture greenhouse gas inventory and reporting.
Greenhouse gas inventory reports
2. Sustainable land management and climate change
We research the impacts of, and adaptation to climate change, forestry and agriculture greenhouse gas mitigation – as well as cross-cutting issues, such as social science, adoption and practice change.
Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change reports
3. Methane, nitrous oxide and soil carbon, and farm systems mitigation in agriculture
This research through the New Zealand Agricultural Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC) supports capability development and the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.
The New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre website
4. Agricultural greenhouse gas
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
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.
- Irrigation
- Erosion control
- Carbon sinks
- Afforestation
- Forestry
- Restoring the Waiapu Catchment
- National science challenges: Deep South
Find out more
Who to contact
If you have questions about the information on this page, email info@mpi.govt.nz