1. Natural Resource Management
Land use change strategies to reduce the greenhouse gas emission-intensity of farming systems
Dr John Bailey, Professor Jim McAdam, Mr Chris Johnston, Mrs Linda Walsh, Dr Erin Sherry, Dr Myles Patton, Dr Dario Fornara, Dr Rachael Carolan, Dr Donnacha Doody, Mr Alex Higgins, Dr Rachel Cassidy, Dr Gary Lyons, Dr Suzanne Higgins, Dr Rodrigo Olave
Precision Agriculture & Big Data
Soil
Managing Nutrients
Water
Reducing Phosphorus loading
Air
Mitigating GHG & NH3 Emissions
Renewable Energy
Agro-Forestry
Managing Biomass & tree crops
Sustainable Production
Natural Resource Management

2. Managing Soil Nutrients
Challenges for Industry and Policy
More than 50% of grassland is over-supplied with P and posing a threat to water quality, whereas 30% is under-supplied with P and under-performing
Under-utilization of fertiliser N, S and K and lime is under-mining sustainability of grass-based production in NI
N def
S def
K def
What AFBI is doing?
Providing new region-specific N and P recommendations for grassland
Identifying strategies to manage organic manures sustainably in intensive livestock production systems
Researching the potential of Precision Agriculture technologies to address nutrient inefficiency problems

3. Managing Water Quality
Challenges for Industry and Policy
Agriculture is one of the major contributors to eutrophication of surface waters in Northern Ireland
Need to reduce P loading to water to meet requirements of the EU Nitrate and Water Framework Directives
What AFBI is doing?
Apportioning the contribution of agriculture to N and P losses
Defining water quality targets in catchment studies
Evaluating management options for lowering nutrient losses from soil to water
Investigating factors controlling biological recovery in surface waters

4. Managing Air Quality Challenges for Industry and Policy
Methane and nitrous oxide from NI agriculture account for 28% of our greenhouse gas emissions.
Need to reduce carbon footprint and mitigate effects of climate change
Agric 28%
What AFBI is doing?
Research to produce a more accurate inventory of UK GHG emissions
Identifying strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from different soils, manures and fertilisers
Investigating the potential for carbon sequestration by soil/forests to offset C emissions
Demonstrating the low GHG footprint of livestock production