Massey awarded major MAF contract
massey-university
Thu Apr 16 2009 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Massey awarded major MAF contract
Thursday, 16 April 2009, 11:42 am
Press Release: Massey University
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Massey awarded major MAF contract
Massey University’s Manawatu campus will be the home of a new Life Cycle Assessment Centre focused on managing New Zealand’s environmental footprint – from greenhouse gas emissions to water use.
The University has been awarded a $1.3 million contract by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to co-ordinate New Zealand efforts in the sector.
With collaborators from AgResearch, Landcare Research, Scion and Plant & Food, Massey will appoint a new Professor of Life Cycle Assessment. As well as ensuring New Zealand retains its environment, the venture supports the economy by enabling producers to meet the needs of the “green” consumer, a market growing rapidly worldwide.
Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey says he is extremely pleased Massey University is leading sustainability research in New Zealand.
“The appointment of the professor, formation of the centre and development of the associated teaching and research programmes in life cycle assessment align closely with our own strategic plan,” Mr Maharey says. “We want to contribute to understanding and provide innovative responses to the social, cultural and environmental issues confronting New Zealand.
“Central to this vision is our intention to take a lead role in sustainability, providing a sustainable future for all New Zealanders.”
The University is supporting the new professorship and centre by funding three PhD scholarships and fees, to ensure a team can be appointed.
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“As well as a professor – to be recruited internationally and expected to be at the forefront of life cycle research – we will have several young and emerging researchers all intent on establishing a world-class research programme,” Mr Maharey says.
The new centre will be hosted by Massey’s Agribusiness, Logistics and Supply Chain Management Group at the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, supported by the Agricultural and Horticultural Systems Management Group at the Institute of Natural Resources and the Sustainable Processing Cluster at the School of Engineering and Advanced Technology. The professor will also work with the New Zealand Centre for Ecological Economics, a Massey-hosted collaboration with Landcare Research.
Mr Maharey acknowledges the exceptional collaboration from across the University that has enabled the successful proposal. “The beauty of being a comprehensive university means that we have been able to draw upon expertise across the value chain and among disciplines – from animal production systems to engineering and economics.
“Particular thanks must go to Professor Mike Hedley, of the Institute of Natural resources, who was pivotal in bringing the right people together – as he was too in establishing the new Professorships in biochar – one of whom is now appointed and on campus, which complement the sustainability work.”
Key goals for the Life Cycle Assessment Centre include environmental footprinting of existing export products, providing information to export markets on the environmental and resource impact of food and fibre production, and design of low environmental footprint production systems.
“Graduates within agriculture, forestry or engineering will be supported to develop life cycle assessment and management skills in order to lead sustainable development of their industries,” Mr Maharey says.
“Also future-focused is research into sustainable production systems and resource use – we anticipate that new models showing life cycle assessment for production systems will be developed.”
The centre will provide specific methodologies for New Zealand products, working with MAF and industry, to ensure environmental footprinting is fair and transparent in New Zealand.
It is expected that the new centre will start work once the professor is appointed.
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