Strategic Research & Development Investment Plan

In October 2004 the Australian Government released its Strategic Research & Development Investment Plan. The Plan facilitates targeted research that addresses identified priorities in agriculture and Natural Resource Management in relation to managing greenhouse gas emissions and responding to climate change, and forms a major component of the Greenhouse Action in Regional Australia Program.

Projects

The following projects have been funded under Funding Rounds 1-3.

Theme A: Livestock Emissions
Theme B: Soil Emissions
Theme C: Savannas
Theme D: Planted Forests
Theme E: Climate Change and Natural Resource Management
Theme F: Climate Change and Farming Systems.

	Theme A Livestock Emissions	Australian Government Investment (AGO) $	Total Project Cost ($)	Duration of Project
Improving the precision of the SF₆ methane measurement technique, and determining the partitioning of energy and nitrogen by the animal under different diets, using respiration calorimetry
Dept of Primary Industries Victoria Contact: Chris.Grainger - 03 5624 2222	Partners: AgResearch Dexel NIWA (New Zealand)	220,703 Round 1	660,902	1.5 years
Calibration and testing of open path laser and FTIR systems for measuring total greenhouse gas emissions
University of Melbourne Contact: Deli Chen - 03 8344 8148	Partners: University of Wollongong CSIRO Land & Water	149,600 Round 1	463,462	1 year
Increased productivity and reduced greenhouse gas emissions through strategic feed supplementation
Queensland Dept of Primary Industries & Fisheries Contact: Athol Klieve - 07 3362 9483	Partners: Meat and Livestock Australia	121,000 Round 1	361,383	3 years
Reducing ruminal methanogenesis through alternative hydrogen & carbon sequestration pathways
CSIRO Livestock Industries Contact: Chris McSweeney - 07 3214 2665	Partners: Australian Lot Feeders Association (Meat and Livestock Australia)	398,025 Round 1	1,592,100	3.5 years
Greenhouse gas emissions from Australian beef cattle feedlots
University of Melbourne Contact: Dr Deli Chen - 03 8344 8148	Partners: Australian Feedlots Association CSIRO Land and Water Agriculture and Agri-food Canada University of Wollongong	150,000 Round 2	945,015	2.5 years
Reducing methane emissions and increasing livestock productivity by controlling protozoa
NSW Dept of Primary Industries Contact: Dr Roger Hegarty - 02 6770 1806	Partners: AgResearch New Zealand	270,000 Round 2	588,998	2 years
Investigating and assessing new techniques for measuring greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture – Enhancing Australia’s greenhouse gas measurement capacity
CSIRO Land and Water Contact: Dr Tom Denmead - 02 6246 5568		10,780 Round 2	19,780	3 months
Managing livestock to reduce methane emissions in Northern Australia
CSIRO Livestock Industries Contact: Peter Kennedy - 07 4923 8182		128,500 Round 3	321,108	1.5 years
Dietary supplements to mitigate methane emissions from dairy cows
Dept of Primary Industries Victoria Contact: Chris Grainger - 03 56242222	Partners: Dairy Australia	175,000 Round 3	644,679	2 years

	Theme B Soil Emissions	Australian Government Investment (AGO) $	Total Project Cost ($)	Duration of Project
Satellite measurement of agricultural stubble burning - proof of concept
Dept of Land Information WA Contact: Richard Smith - 08 9387 0342		40,000 Round 1	120,000	1 year
Greenhouse gas fluxes from sugarcane soils and nitrogen fertilizer management
Australian National University Contact: Ian White - 02 61250660	Partners: Queensland Dept of Natural Resources and Mines Sugar R&D Council University of NSW University of Wollongong CSIRO Land & Water NSW Sugar Milling Co-operative Tweed Shire Council University of Melbourne USGA-ARS	621,102 Round 1	2,964,842	3 years
Raising awareness of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural practices within an EMS framework with a focus on nutrient pathways within the sugar industry
Queensland Dept of Natural Resources and Mines Contact: Phil Moody - 07 3896 9494		40,000 Round 1	40,000	1 year
Reducing uncertainties in greenhouse gas emissions from sub-tropical agricultural systems
Queensland University of Technology Contact: Peter Grace - 07 3865 2610		295,695 Round 1	1,119,345	3 years
Reducing nitrogen losses from sub-tropical coastal agricultural soils
University of Melbourne Contact: Dr Deli Chen - 03 8344 8148	Partners: CSIRO Land and Water Australian National University	180,000 Round 2	873,500	1.5 years
N2O emissions from subtropical cereal cropping under different management practices
Dept of Natural Resources & Mines Queensland Contact: Dr Ram Dalal - 07 3896 9895	Partners: Grains Research and Development Corporation	467,206 Round 2	1,517,829	3 years
Managing mixed sheep/wheat farming systems in Southern Australia to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Dept of Primary Industries Victoria Contact: John Graham - 55 730 908	Partners: Grains Research and Development Corporation Melbourne University	960,977 Round 3	3,540,977	3 years
Soil microbial activity as a surrogate measure for nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils
University of Queensland Contact: Susan Schmidt - 07 3365 1050	Partners: Queensland Dept of Natural Resources and Mines Queensland University of Technology	300,000 Round 3	890,636	2 years
Understanding the contribution of volatile nitrogen loss to nitrous oxide emissions in agriculture
Queensland University of Technology Contact: Peter Grace - 07 3864 2610	Partners: Cotton Research and Development Corporation	70,000 Round 3	451,000	2 years
Investigating the use of slow release fertilisers to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils
University of Melbourne Contact: Robert Edis - 03 8344 7131		50,000 Round 3	240,000	1.5 years
	Theme C Savannas	Australian Government Investment (AGO) $	Total Project Cost ($)	Duration of Project
Improving estimates and management of savanna burning emissions
Tropical Savannas CRC Contact: Jeremy Russell-Smith - 08 8988 6215		400,000 Round 1	909,494	4 years
	Theme D Planted Forests	Australian Government Investment (AGO) $	Total Project Cost ($)	Duration of Project
Achieving successful establishment of tree plantings under variable climatic conditions
CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products Contact: Trevor Booth - 02 6281 8259		200,000 Round 1	475,000	1.5 years
The Hawkesbury forest experiment: Impacts of precipitation and CO2 on trees
University of New South Wales Contact: Prof. Ross McMurtrie – 02 9385 3264	Partners: University of Western Sydney University of NSW NSW Dept of Primary Industry Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Forest and Wood Products R & D Corporation Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee USA Duke University, Durham NC USA	1,141,979 Round 2	4,288,443	3.5 years
Understanding the drivers of nitrous oxide emissions during the transition from pasture to plantation forests
Ensis Contact: John Raison - 02 6281 8280	Partners: Queensland Dept of Natural Resources and Mines NSW Dept of Primary Industries Queensland Dept of Primary Industries CSIRO Land & Water	250,000 Round 3	1,003,942	1.5 years

	Theme E Climate Change and Natural Resource Management	Australian Government Investment (AGO) $	Total Project Cost ($)	Duration of Project
Practical adaptation to climate change in natural resource management
Sinclair Knight Merz Contact: Craig Clifton - 03 5444 41861	Partners: Queensland Murray Darling Committee Queensland Dept of Primary Industries and Fisheries Desert Channels Queensland Fitzroy Basin Association South East Queensland Western Catchments Group North Central Catchment Management Authority Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority	500,000 Round 1	889,430	2 years
A regional climate change decision framework for natural resource management
South Australian Dept of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation Contact: Douglas Bardsley - 08 8303 9343	Partners: Adelaide Mt Lofty NRM Board	211,000 Round 3	462,000	2 years
Fire regimes, forest & carbon dynamics under climate change in South East Australia
Australian National University Contact: Geoff Cary - 02 6125 0059	Partners: Dept of Environment and Conservation NSW Wollongong University	282,893 Round 3	424,981	2 years
Climate change and Australia's plantation estate: pest impacts on carbon stores
Ensis Contact: Michael Battaglia - 03 6226 7912		300,000 Round 3	595,513	2 years
An investigation into the feasibility of forest Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment (FACE) experimentation in Australia
Ensis Contact: John Raison - 02 6281 8280		86,500 Round 3	86,500	5 months
	Theme F Climate Change and Farming Systems	Australian Government Investment (AGO) $	Total Project Cost ($)	Duration of Project
Adapting Australian farming systems to climate change: A participatory approach
Birchip Cropping Group Contact: Alexandra Gartmann - 03 5492 2787	Partners: CSIRO Mingenew-Irwin Group Brigalow-Jimbour Floodplains Group	174,000 Round 1	341,082	2 years
Evaluate potential responses and management of Lippia in the MDB under climate change
CSIRO Entomology Contact: Mic Julien - 07 3214 2805	Partners: CRC Weeds University of New England Meat and Livestock Australia Cotton CRC	152,500 Round 1	319,571	2 years
Elevated CO₂ research initiative for agriculture and forestry: Impacts for regional Australia
Timothy G. Reeves and Associates Pty Ltd Contact: Tim Reeves - 03 5241 2827		28,800 Round 1	28,800	6 months
Assessing options for structural change within an established agricultural industry to address the challenges of climate change
Dept of Primary Industries Victoria Contact: Mr Victor Sposito - 03 9742 8725	Partners: North Central Catchment Management Authority Birchip Cropping Group	50,000 Round 2	200,000	1 year
Exploring the capacity of a regional farming community to adapt to climate change
Dept of Agriculture, Western Australia Contact: Ms Kari-Lee Falconer - 08 9651 1302		251,000 Round 2	340,100	2 years
Climate change in cotton catchment communities
Cotton Catchment Communities Cooperative Research Centre Contact: Guy Roth - 02 6799 1509		37,100 Round 3	73,100	1 year
Climate change impacts on wheat production in Australia: Small scale Free Air Carbon dioxide Enriched (mini-FACE) experimentation across the Australian wheat belt
University of Melbourne Contact: Rob Norton - 03 53622337	Partners: Grains Research and Development Corporation Australian Research Council Dept of Primary Industries Victoria University of Tasmania	553,000 Round 3	4,695,000	4 years

Funding Rounds 1-3

Project proposals have been received under three funding rounds. Proposals received under Rounds 1 and 2 needed to address the priorities outlined in the Annual Prospectus 2005-2006. Priorities for Round 3 were detailed in the Annual Prospectus 2006-2007.

All proposals were assessed against the selection criteria outlined in the Annual Prospectus. Specialised assessment panels were appointed for each Theme. The assessment panels were comprised of staff from the Australian Greenhouse Office and other relevant government Depts, as well as independent external appointees with high levels of expertise.

The outcomes of the selection process for Rounds 1-3 are shown in the table below:

	EOI closing date	EOIs received	EOIs negotiated further	Projects funded
Round 1	5 November 04	62	16	14
Round 2	11 February 05	42	13	9
Round 3	10 February 06	35	11	13

Project proposals under the Strategic R&D Investment Plan

Funding rounds for the Strategic R&D Investment Plan are currently closed. However, the Australian Government may accept highly innovative project proposals addressing the objectives of the Strategic R&D Investment Plan at any time. Such applications will be assessed against selection criteria outlined in the Annual Prospectus 2006-2007. Further information on the aim, structure and operations is available in the Strategic R&D Investment Plan 2004-2008.

Download the Strategic R&D Investment Plan 2004-2008
(rdplan.pdf)
Download the Annual Prospectus 2006-2007
(rdplan-prospectus0607.pdf - 753 KB)
Download the Project Proposal Form
(rdplan-proposalform0607.doc - 753 KB)

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