Dr. Mapfumo awarded funding for collaborative research project to improve soil health
Posted on: Apr 22, 2022
We are proud to announce that Dr. Emmanuel Mapfumo, who is a member of the Pasture Rejuvenation Project (PRP) team, has been awarded funding for soil health research.
Over four years, the PRP team will investigate potential low-cost and sustainable approaches for improving yields on old, low-yielding perennial grass stands.
The project has been awarded been awarded $601,413 in total funding, and brings together industry investment from Results Driven Agriculture Research ($304,865), the Beef Cattle Research Council ($235,492), and Alberta Beef Producers ($61,050).
Additional in-kind research funding support from Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC), Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE), the Saskatchewan and British Columbia Forage Councils will total over $1 million dollars.
“I am really excited to work on this collaborative Pasture Rejuvenation Project between CUE, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, British Columbia Forage Council, and Saskatchewan Forage Council,” said Dr. Mapfumo.
“The outcome of this research could reduce economic pressure on the livestock-pasture industry if low-cost approaches, such as sod-seeding and inclusion of legumes in grass stands, improve hay and pasture yields.”
The PRP will be led by forage researcher Dr. Vern Baron at AAFC in Lacombe, Alberta.
This funding will also provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students interested in conducting research on forage productivity, soil physical, chemical and/or biological health, and the research aligns with the recently introduced Bill C-203 on the National Soil Health Strategy for Canada, which focuses on best practices for improving and sustaining soil health.
Click here to learn more about this exciting project!