PeatNI – A new research opportunity for NI farmers

The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) is seeking to recruit six farms to be part of an important new research project assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from peat soils.

Peat soils span across nearly 250,000 hectares in Northern Ireland (NI) and deliver a range of ecosystem services. Naturally rich in carbon, peat soils have the potential to be a net sink for carbon, which can make an important contribution to the achievement of Net Zero targets in NI. However, emissions data indicates that many of our peat soils are releasing more carbon in the form of GHGs than they are capturing.

One of the most significant areas of NI peatland emissions is estimated to be grassland over peat (31,000 hectares). However, data used for these emissions calculations has primarily been collected from GB and Europe. There is a need for local emissions data that are representative of, and specific to, the characteristics and management of grassland on peat, weather conditions, and farming practices in NI. Developing this evidence based on local conditions can improve the robustness of estimation of GHG emissions and therefore help inform policy development.

AFBI’s new DAERA funded research project ‘PeatNI’ aims to do just this. By monitoring emissions on commercial NI farms, the project aims to develop a baseline for the contribution of emissions from grassland over peat.

The PeatNI team wish to recruit six farms from across NI on peat soils, that are being fertilised and, grazed/silage cropped. Each farm will have a state of the art GHG monitoring station (4x4m site) installed on a single block of land for a period of two years and participating farmers will receive a payment for their involvement in the project. This is a unique opportunity for farmers to be part of cutting-edge scientific research and at the forefront of gathering local greenhouse gas emissions evidence, helping to improve the robustness of GHG emissions data. 

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please get in touch with Dr Naomi Rutherford either by phone (02892681627) or email (peatni@afbini.gov.uk).

Notes to editors: 

AFBI’s Vision is “Scientific excellence delivering impactful and sustainable outcomes for society, economy and the natural environment”.

AFBI’s Purpose is “To deliver trusted, independent research, statutory and surveillance science and expert advice that addresses local and global challenges, informs government policy and industry decision making, and underpins a sustainable agri-food industry and the natural and marine environments”.

AFBI’s core areas:

• Leading improvements in the agri-food industry to enhance its sustainability.
• Protecting animal, plant and human health.
• Enhancing the natural and marine environment.

Share this page