Danone has partnered with the Global Methane Hub (GMH), a philanthropic organisation focused on reducing methane emissions globally, to collaborate on an initiative promoting scalable solutions in farming.
As the first corporate funder of the Enteric Fermentation R&D Accelerator, a coordinated global research effort on enteric methane led by GMH and supported by various organisations and governments, Danone aims to lead the way in methane reduction at a corporate level.
Scalable and practical solutions
With $200 million in funding already secured, the project will focus on ‘breakthrough research and innovation to create new scalable and practical solutions for livestock farmers that can mitigate enteric fermentation, which is the digestive process of ruminant livestock’, Danone said in a statement.
Research areas will encompass mitigation of methane through feed additives, plant and animal genetics, methane vaccines, as well as the development of accessible and affordable measurement technologies.
“Reducing methane is a major stake for the climate, the sustainability of our foods systems and the future of many farming communities. As a long-time sustainability pioneer, we know that doing it at scale and in an impactful way cannot be done by anyone in isolation,” commented Antoine de Saint-Affrique, chief executive of Danone.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights that a reduction in methane emissions offers more immediate climate benefits compared to the reduction of carbon dioxide alone.
Dairy production contributes about 8% of human-caused methane emissions globally, within the broader context of agriculture and livestock activities, which collectively account for approximately 40% of total global methane emissions.
Read More: Major food firms commit to reporting on, reducing methane emissions
Scaled-up investment
“Agriculture is a sector where methane reduction efforts can have an extraordinary impact,” added Marcelo Mena, chief executive of the Global Methane Hub. “70% of agriculture-driven methane emissions come from enteric fermentation, making it the largest single source of methane emissions of any sector.
“Through scaled-up investment from philanthropy, governments, and the private sector, we can accelerate progress in developing practical innovative solutions and create the scale and coordination needed for these solutions to be impactful, ensuring greater economic and food security for local communities and transforming the future of sustainable farming.”
