Tim Groser

Wellington, April 9 NZPA - The Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gas research is well underway following a three-day conference in Wellington, Climate Change Negotiations Minister Tim Groser and Agriculture Minister David Carter said today

The meeting of 29 countries follows New Zealand nine months ago floating the idea of an alliance aimed at increasing international cooperation, collaboration and investment in both public and private agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation research.

The ministers said in a statement that New Zealand and the Netherlands are to co-ordinate efforts on the livestock research group.

"This will establish New Zealand, and particularly the domestic Centre for Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research, as a leader in this area," the ministers said.

Other countries leading research efforts include Japan on rice paddy management and the United States on research into crop management.

The meeting also agreed on a work plan for the next 12 months and a draft charter to be finalised at a ministerial summit to be held next year.

New Zealand will host the interim secretariat for the alliance.

"We're thrilled that 29 countries have joined us so far, with the latest being the Russian Federation. Most member countries were present for this inaugural meeting, with important agriculture producers China, Brazil and South Korea observing," the ministers said.

"The purpose was to convert enthusiasm into action and to decide what governance and administrative arrangements would be needed to ensure the Alliance functions effectively."

Earlier, this week Prime Minister John Key told the conference that New Zealand would support developing countries getting benefits from the research alliance for free.

The Government has budgeted $45 million over four years to the alliance, the United States has promised $NZ127m over five years, and Canada $NZ37m over four years.

Separately, the Government was spending $50m on a domestic agricultural greenhouse gas research centre, based in Palmerston North.

The alliance was expected initially to divide its work into four sectors: extensive livestock -- the kind of pastoral grazing common in New Zealand -- intensive livestock, arable farming and cropping, and rice paddy.