At the Hague conference on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change, Farming First held a side event ‘Best practices in agricultural value chains’, where spokespeople presented examples of initiatives that aim to increase resilience and productivity at different points in the value chain.
4. Nitrous Oxide Emission Reduction
Protocol (NERP)
Reduces on-farm emissions of nitrous oxide in a quantifiable,
credible and verifiable way that would allow farmers to earn
carbon credits.
Approved in the Canadian province of Alberta, the first
jurisdiction in North America to actively regulate Greenhouse
Gas(GHG) emissions and establish a regulatory carbon trading
market.
NERP is based on applying fertilizer using Best Management
Practices. The 4R nutrient stewardship system is applying the
Right Source @Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place®.
Three levels of application (basic, intermediate and advanced),
NERP addresses the pillars of sustainable development:
environmental, social and economic.
5. The bottom line
15% to 25 % reduction in Nitrous
Oxide emissions from fertilizer
application
New science could almost double
those estimates
Manages the risk of Nitrate
accumulation in soils
7. Performance
Level
Right Source Right Rate Right Time Right
Place
Reduction
Modifier
Basic
• Ammonium-based
formulation;
• Apply N according to
recommendation of 4R N
stewardship plan*, using
annual soil testing and/or
N balance to determine
application rate.
• Apply in spring; or
• Split apply; or
• Apply after soil cools
in fall
Apply in
bands /
Injection
0.85
Intermediate
• Ammonium-based
formulation; and
• Use slow /
controlled release
fertilizers; or
• Inhibitors; or
• Stabilized N
• Apply N according to
qualitative estimates of
field variability
(landscape position, soil
variability)
• Apply fertilizer in
spring; or
• Split apply; or
• Apply after soil cools
in fall if using slow /
controlled release
fertilizer or
inhibitors / stabilized
N
Apply in
bands /
Injection
0.75
Advanced
• Ammonium-based
formulation; and
• Use slow /
controlled release
fertilizers; or
• Inhibitors; or
• Stabilized N
• Apply N according to
quantified field
variability (e.g. digitized
soil maps, grid sampling,
satellite imagery, real
time crop sensors.) and
complemented by in
season crop monitoring
• Apply fertilizer in
spring; or
• Split apply; or
• Apply after soil cools
in fall if using slow /
controlled release
fertilizer or
inhibitors / stabilized
N
Apply in
bands /
Injection
0.75
8. Right Source
Any fertilizer which releases more than two-thirds
of its N in the ammonium form.
Slow or controlled release
fertilizers/inhibitors/stabilized N
13. The Second Green Revolution
“The challenge for your industry is to be at the
head of this green revolution as you were at
the head of the last one. Just as you have
helped turn farming from a subsistence
business into a flourishing industry that feeds
the world, I now call on you to work with
farmers, environmentalists and governments
to help fine-tune agriculture into a business
that feeds the world without harming the
natural world.”
- Hon. George Webster, P.E.I. Minister of Environment, Energy and
Forestry
14. FAO says
Agricultural production will need to increase by at
least 70 percent to meet demands by 2050
Food security requires agricultural production systems
to change in the direction of higher productivity.
Higher productivity tends to increase GHG emissions
The sustainable intensification of production,
especially in developing countries, can ensure food
security and contribute to mitigating climate change
by reducing deforestation and the encroachment of
agriculture into natural ecosystems
16. Climate-Smart Agriculture
FAO NERP
High production NERP supports increased production of crops
through better management
Intensified NERP rewards higher intensity on existing
farmland
Resilient NERP promotes conservation agriculture
Sustainable NERP is environmentally AND economically
sustainable; Social: supports food security
Low‐emission NERP reduces emissions per kilo of grain or
oilseeds
17. NERP Benefits
Drives practice change
Comprehensive, professionally
developed 4R plan advances better N
management.
Support for NERP enhances
infrastructure to continue advances in N
management.
Provides leading edge for ecosystem
services
Documentation prescribed by NERP
requires assessment of total farm N
balance.
Documentation provides proof of claim
19. NERP: What’s Next
Science Cluster to refine science
Training for professional advisors
Farmer extension -- under Global Research
Alliance Funding
Expanding NERP: Saskatchewan, Ontario, U.S.
states, Europe, Australia
NERP as the basis for eco-labeling
20. Science Cluster
Fertilizer industry support for scientific
research projects in Ontario, Manitoba,
Saskatchewan and Alberta. Two projects
under way.
Focus is to improve measurement of the
impact that the NERP can have on reducing
Nitrous Oxide (N2O) emissions in crop
production.
Goal is to increase offset payments by
refining the scientific understanding of N2O
reductions.
22. NERP Professional Training
Agricultural Professionals seeking certification as an
Accredited Professional Advisor (APA).
Project Developers
Agricultural Producers
Verifiers
Government
Students/Teachers
25. Spreading NERP
Saskatchewan, Ontario showing strong interest
Manitoba may be looking at non-offset adoption
Other provinces?
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) has been promoting
NERP in the United States
Europe showing new interest
26. NERP Lessons Learned
Change should be a challenge
4R Nutrient Stewardship is flexible and adaptable
Practice-based approach is better than
performance if you want results
Broad scientific consensus is essential
Be conservative in emission reduction estimates
Get scientists, government, farmers in on the
ground floor
It takes longer than you think
28. NERP as an eco-label
NERP could be adapted as an eco-label to meet
growing demands by Tropicana, Walmart,
Sobey’s, European biofuels industry for
carbon/environmental footprint
NERP could be an internationally recognized
standard
Dealing with the primary target the APA, it will be a four step process.
Step 1 – Interested individuals can see if their education and experience make them eligible to be an APA and if not where their gaps are. They will also be able to determine if they have the knowledge base to do the job and work through some prerequisite material to make the training go easier.
Step 2 – Work through the NERP specific program. This is a series of exercises that will allow you to understand the background and philosophy behind NERP and also provide some case studies so you can learn the nuts and bolts of going through the NERP process. APAs will be doing the calculations not just checking them off after the producer has worked through them.
Step 3 – There will be an accreditation exam. Will go into that in a little more detail later on. Our plan at the moment is to have it available on-line so we are not having exam sittings twice a year or whatever. Candidates will also have to provide proof of education and experience to complete accreditation.
Step 4 – APAs will have to update their file annually and show they have maintained their credentials and take any NERP specific training that we may develop in further. Maybe take a refresher module every year etc.