A high-level scoping review - Farming, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon storage: cereals and oilseeds

This high-level scoping project aimed to inform the design and development of the Evidence forFarming Initiative (EFI). It provided information focused on the ‘net zero’ agenda that will allowprototype products and services to assist decision-makers seeking to reduce greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions in arable farming systems. A reduction in net GHG emissions within combinablecropping systems (whether assessed per unit of output, per unit of land area used, or at a nationallevel) will be achieved most effectively by the implementation of on-farm interventions that increaseproductive efficiency and carbon storage, and produce materials/energy for the green economy.The UK research landscape underpinning the measurement or mitigation of GHG emissions in UKcropping systems was found to be widespread and diverse, with research teams often working incollaboration (in a range of configurations, depending on the research question underinvestigation). The links between bio-economy research and practical agronomic applicationappeared to be the least well developed; in addition, much of the underpinning work on renewableenergy and fossil fuel replacement is not directly targeted at the agriculture sector (which is likely tobenefit from ongoing research for construction and road haulage). However, there are relevantinternational collaborations in place, including informal knowledge sharing, via academic societies,as well as through formal research collaborations.