Improving livestock farm practices in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the farm level

Science-based evidence on agricultural GHG emissions currently found in literature covers a wide range of mitigation options. However, the measurements used are not standardised. System boundaries for LCA models are also not always uniformly defined. It is difficult to compare results and assess which findings better reflect the actual conditions on farms.
The most commonly used free carbon calculators are: PAS 2050 (BSI, Carbon Trust and DEFRA), CLA CALM and Cplan GHG calculator. They all use science-based evidence but provide different estimates, relying on proxy measures and estimates, and they may miss key areas on GHG emissions.
The research will provide a detailed study on the current scientific evidence on GHG emissions assessment and seek to normalise the measures used. The database will be used to build a farmer-friendly carbon accounting model that will then be tested in the field. A pilot set of farmers will be invited to test the calculator on their farms with the purpose of receiving feedback regarding the calculator: accuracy, consistency on results, limitations; as well as farmers’ perceptions. The study will also evaluate farmer perception and attitude to climate change pre and post use of the new calculator.