SCHOOL EDITION 15 MAY 2024 - Flipbook - Page 28
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NEWS
FARMWEEK
OCTOBER 28 2021
UK farmers unsure of agri-tech’s role in net zero, new research suggests
W
HILE most UK farmers are using agritech, many are doubtful of its ability
to help them meet net zero targets,
a nationwide survey by Agri-EPI Centre has
revealed.
The Agri-EPI research sought to understand
how and why farmers are using agri-tech,
shed light on barriers to its use and explore
the technologies farmers think will be
needed in the future.
The research, conducted through
interviews with farmers across the UK,
including 50 from Northern Ireland, found
that 78 per cent are using some form of agritech, with the highest adoption rates among
younger farmers and those with large farms.
The biggest reasons for its use are increased
productivity and profitability.
Yet, while the same percentage (78 per
cent) of farmers believe that it is important
to reduce their farm’s greenhouse gas
emissions (rising to 94 per cent of those under
the age of 45), only just above a third (35 per
cent) are confident that technology will help
them reach net zero carbon emissions.
One reason for this could be that
farmers need greater skills and support to
understand the benefits of technology and to
adopt it.
The research found only half of farmers
rate their skills in using agri-tech as ‘good’,
with less than half (43 per cent) of all farmers
interviewed feeling well supported in
introducing or making better use of existing
technology.
Agri-EPI centre’s Chief Executive, David
Ross, said: “While the majority of UK farmers
recognise that agri-tech has an important
role in supporting their priorities of
productivity and profit, we are struck by the
fact that only around a third felt tech has a
role to play in environmental sustainability.
“Technology is one of the solutions to
helping farmers reduce their emissions –
agri-tech that helps farmers be more efficient
and productive usually offers a win-win for
sustainability.
“The findings of our research provide
important insights for Agri-EPI and our fellow
Agri-Tech Centres, as well as for those with a
role in developing, evaluating and promoting
technology, particularly the agri-food sector,
policy makers, agri-tech companies and the
R&D community.
“The farmers we spoke to told us they
need accessible training, funding, and more
evidence and independent advice to help
them make the best use of agri-tech. We
want to collaborate with partners across all
of areas to ensure the benefits of agri-tech is
make clear and the avenues to adoption are
easily accessible.”
Of the farmers interviewed who are using
agri-tech, popular technologies include
machine guidance systems (40 per cent
reported they are using this), soil mapping (35
per cent), livestock growth monitoring (30
per cent) and variable rate application (28 per
cent).
Robotics and automation for a variety
of purposes featured strongly in farmers’
thoughts on the tech that will be important
for the future, along with the capability to
integrate data gathered by different systems
on the farm.
n The findings of the research will be
discussed at Agri-EPI’s annual conference,
titled The Path to Sustainability, on October
28.
New report highlights the benefits
of an Irish biomethane industry
A
GRICULTURALLY
produced biomethane can
be delivered sustainably
and at scale to help
reduce on-farm emissions
and decarbonise Ireland’s
energy system without reducing
the national herd, disrupting
food production, intensifying
agricultural activities or impacting
on biodiversity, according to a
new Sustainability of Biomethane
Production in Ireland report.
Undertaken by Devenish Nutrition
and KPMG Sustainable Futures, the
report draws on existing academic
research, as well as data and onfarm experience from the Dowth
Research Farm – a designated
‘Lighthouse Farm’ in County
Meath, producing internationally
recognised farm research focused
on the scientific understanding of
sustainable agriculture production
and practices, using real-world
data.
The report concludes that an
Irish agriculture-led biomethane
industry developed according
to international best practice is
aligned with current and emerging
policy direction and can meet the
EU Renewable Energy Directive II
(RED II) requirements, both now
and in the future.
It found that the process for
producing biomethane could
reduce the direct application of raw
slurry to land and that the resulting
digestate by-product could displace
chemical fertilisers and pesticides,
decreasing ammonia and nitrous
oxide emissions and improving
soil quality and soil carbon
sequestration.
ABOVE: David Hagan, Sustainable Agricultural Manager at Devenish
Nutrition, talking to representatives from Gas Networks Ireland
FINDINGS IN THE REPORT:
The report identifies a number
key activities to deliver significant
emissions savings (including carbon
dioxide and nitrous oxide) that align
with EU and national policy targets,
including meeting grass demand
for a biomethane industry solely
through sustainable, incremental
fodder growth and sowing a multispecies swards system to decrease
emissions while enhancing
biodiversity.
n Replacing natural gas with
biomethane can deliver significant
emission savings. Achieving the
current national target of 1.6TWh
of biomethane by 2030 would
result in carbon dioxide savings
of approximately 320,000 tonnes.
These carbon dioxide emission
savings could rise to approximately
1.9 million tonnes per annum based
on the potential, identified in the
report, of improved efficiency
across land already in agricultural
production.
n Digestate produced during
biomethane production could
reduce nitrous oxide emissions by
37 per cent (more if multi-species
swards are used), when used as an
organic fertiliser to avoid emissions
associated with chemical fertiliser
and replace untreated slurry to
displace significant greenhouse gas
emissions.
n Replacing all nitrogen use
with digestate on beef farms could
reduce on-farm emissions by 25
per cent, or 3.9 tonnes of carbon
dioxide equivalent per farm. If 10
per cent of farmers committed to
this, there would be an estimated
combined saving of 30,380 tonnes
of carbon dioxide equivalent.
n Replacing all nitrogen use
with digestate and growing multispecies swards on dairy farms
could reduce on-farm emissions by
66 per cent, or 9.3 tonnes of carbon
dioxide equivalent per farm. If 10
per cent of farmers committed to
this, there would be an estimated
combined saving of 14,897 tonnes
of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Devenish Nutrition’s Sustainable
Agricultural Manager, David Hagan,
said: “The challenge of addressing
on-farm emissions has emerged as
one of the most difficult pieces of
the climate policy jigsaw. Ensuring
MULTI SPECIES: A field with a crop
of multi species swards at Dowth
Research Farm
ABOVE: Ian O’Flynn, Head of Commercial and Corporate Affairs at Gas
Networks Ireland, with David Hagan, Sustainable Agricultural Manager at
Devenish Nutrition, examining the soil in a field of multi species swards for
increased earthworms.
a sustainable livelihood for primary
producers and supporting growth
in our food industries while also
protecting our environment is
both critical and challenging. This
report outlines how Ireland can
deliver a sustainable, agricultureled biomethane industry.”
The EU Green Deal highlighted
biomethane as a vital tool
in decarbonising European
agriculture and energy systems,
and the European Commission
identified Ireland as having the
highest potential per capita
to produce the carbon neutral
renewable gas.
Ireland began its journey to a
net-zero carbon gas network in
2019, with the introduction of
domestically produced biomethane
in County Kildare, through Ireland’s
first purpose built injection
facility in Cush and Gas Networks
Ireland was recently granted
planning permission for a second
renewable gas injection point near
Mitchelstown in County Cork that
has the potential to heat up to
64,000 homes.
Gas Networks Ireland Head
of Commercial and Corporate
Affairs, Ian O’Flynn, said: “Gas
Networks Ireland’s vision is to
replace natural gas with renewable
gases, such as biomethane and
hydrogen, to substantially reduce
the country’s carbon emissions
while complementing intermittent
renewable electricity and ensuring
a secure energy supply.
“Agriculturally produced
biomethane can be delivered
sustainably and at scale to help
reduce on-farm emissions and
support more sustainable food
supply chains, seamlessly replace
natural gas in the national gas
network, decarbonise the energy
system, diversify our indigenous
energy supply, enhance our energy
security, and generate significant
employment opportunities in rural
Ireland, creating additional income
sources for farmers and local
communities.”
Ensuring a sustainable livelihood for
primary producers and supporting growth
in our food industries while also protecting
our environment is both critical and
challenging.
David Hagan, Devenish Nutrition
