New Zealand and Ireland Strengthen Partnership on Agricultural Climate Research

New Zealand’s Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Ireland’s Minister of State Noel Grealish have signed a joint ministerial statement for advancing their partnership on agricultural climate research in Wellington today.

New Zealand and Ireland will continue to advance vital research to support the development of tools to give farmers options to tackle agricultural greenhouse gas emissions without reducing production, Minister McClay says.

It follows a successful Joint Research Initiative (JRI) pilot launched in 2022 with $34.5 million jointly invested to boost climate change research and science capability.

Minister of State Noel Grealish visited several of the 11 projects underway during his time in New Zealand and says they have helped accelerate understanding of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Agriculture is at the heart of the Irish and New Zealand economies, and we share the common goal of lowering emissions in pasture-based farming, while supporting farmers to produce more.

During my visit to New Zealand, I was delighted to meet with Minister Todd McClay and agree to the second phase of the JRI that will drive meaningful reductions in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will now identify further projects to progress.

Separately, Ministers also launched the new 2026-2030 Strategic Plan for the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA).

It has four priorities: advance scientific research, strengthen capacity and knowledge sharing, build effective collaboration and partnerships, and leverage financial and other resources.

Note to editors: The GRA aims to deepen and broaden research efforts in cropping, livestock, and paddy rice. It brings together researchers from around the globe to collaborate on science and breakthrough solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.