Selecting the appropriate actions to reduce gaseous emissions on tillage farms
Irish agriculture has been tasked with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030. To achieve this, farmers across the country – irrespective of sector – are being asked to adopt a suite of measures and embrace change.
To aid farmers in the realisation of this target, Teagasc has developed two programmes – the Signpost Programme and the Signpost Advisory Programme.
The former is a multi-annual campaign to lead climate action by all Irish farmers. The programme aims to achieve early progress in reducing gaseous emissions from Irish agriculture and also improving water quality, maintaining and in some cases improving bio-diversity, and to reduce the costs and create more profitable and sustainable farming enterprises. A network of Signpost demonstration farms – ranging across the enterprises and intensities – are enrolled, who will share their learnings of the adoption of new technologies to farmers in their local area.
Meanwhile, the Teagasc Signpost Advisory Programme is a new targeted advisory programme to support climate and sustainability actions on farms. This public good programme will be available to all farms free of charge; it builds on the network of Signpost demonstration farms to commit to, select and implement climate and sustainability actions that will be appropriate and impact on their farms. Farmers enrolled in this programme will be able to access their carbon number through the use of AgNav – a programme developed by Teagasc, Bord Bia and ICBF.
At the Teagasc exhibit at the National Ploughing Championships, John Mahon, Teagasc Tillage Signpost Programme Advisor, spoke to Edward Connolly, a tillage farmer from Co. Kildare, to examine which measures are appropriate to his farm. Learn more on the measures being implemented on Edward’s farm in the below video:
The Teagasc Signpost Programme has also developed a 12 step guide for tillage farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on their farm. This suite of measures is available here:
12 steps to reduce gaseous emissions on tillage farms
Teagasc at the Ploughing
Over the course of the National Ploughing Championships, some of the key highlights have been featured on Teagasc Daily. Check these out below:
Teagasc at the National Ploughing Championships
5-star ewes deliver for productivity and profitability
Factors influencing contaminant losses to water
New and exciting opportunities for forestry creation on farms
Food chemistry at the National Ploughing Championships