The Nitrogen Climate Smart Project

Agriculture is a very significant emitter of CO2 and today we are going to be talking about an innovative project called Nitrogen Climate Smart, which aims to bring about a reduction of 1.5mt of CO2 emissions per annum.

The aim is to increase pulse and legume crops in arable cropping to 20%, the benefits of which to both arable and livestock enterprises could lead to cost savings over £1m per year.

Let’s learn more about this innovative project and what it could mean for your farm business.

Introduction to the Nitrogen Climate Smart Project

Lucy Cottingham:
The Nitrogen Climate Smart (NCS) project is a £5.9 million, four-year initiative funded by Innovate UK. It brings together 18 industry partners and 200 farmers to address greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture by increasing pulse and legume cropping to 20% in arable rotations.

These crops require no artificial nitrogen, which helps reduce emissions, and can replace imported protein sources like soy, further decreasing the UK’s carbon footprint.

Agronomic Benefits of Growing Pulses and Legumes

Steve Portas:
Pulses add around 50-70kg of nitrogen to the soil, boosting the yield of the following crop by 1-2 tonnes per hectare. Incorporating pulses in rotations can stabilise yields, improve soil structure, and reduce input costs, making them highly beneficial for long-term crop performance.

Challenges to Adopting Pulse and Legume Crops

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To read more about Agrii’s involvement with the NCS project