Review of CRG 2016 meeting, Phoenix AZ September 2017 34 participants, 17 countries Croplands Research Group Meeting Report, 10-11 November 2016 2  Discussion on Alliance Flagship projects, and the future development of a Nitrogen Flagship.  Report on the ongoing activities of the Croplands Research Group.  Discussion on the activities and next steps to develop the eight Networks of the Group.  Identification of opportunities for collaboration with the Integrative Research Group.  Called for the nomination of a third Co-Chair to the Group.  Next steps for the Group and discussion about future meetings.

Research Group Co-chairs’ Report Martin Scholten, Harry Clark, Kazuyuki Yagi, Gonzalo Zorrilla, Jane Johnson, Ladislau Martin-Neto, Rosa Mosquera-Losada, Jean-Francois Soussana, Brian McConkey, Lee Nelson GRA Council meeting, Tsukuba 29 August 2017

Team of Co-Chairs with Chair 2017

Research Groups

Outline of Work 2011-2016

Outline of Work updated 2017+

Impact driven!

Research Group Reports Achievements & Ambitions GRA Council meeting, Tsukuba 29 August 2017 Research Group Reports Achievements & Ambitions

Croplands Research Group: Recent key achievements CRG meeting, Phoenix, AZ – USA November, 2016 network capacity building Successfully recruited a third Co-Chair- thank you to Spain for allowing Dr. Rosa Mosquera-Losada to serve.

Croplands Research Group: Recent key achievements - Networks -Landscape management Network: Obtained funds - China and UNEP, granted by National Natural Science Foundation of China. (China and Kenya)/global organizations [International Ecosystem Management Partnership, Institute of Atmospheric Physics (CAS), Institute of Geographic Sciences and Resources Research (CAS), International Center of Tropical Agriculture (CIAT, CGIAR), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI, CGIAR)] -Conservation Agriculture Network-published factsheet, obtained funds for meta data compilation -Australia led proposal N2O representing Australian and international collaborators “Asia Pacific Regional Network for Greenhouse Gases” (pending) for our network for Landscape Management  of Agricultural System (LMAS), this year we secceeded in application for a five-year research project with cooperation between China and UNEP (2018-2022). It is granted by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. This project is entitled Effects of Climate and Management Practices on the Yield and Greenhouse Gas Footprint of Maize Cultivation (GHGfom). The GHGfom will involve in three field experimental sites (which are located in a warm temperate region, a cool temperate region and a tropical region), two countries (China, Kenya), five organizations (International Ecosystem Management Partnership, Institute of Atmospheric Physics (CAS), Institute of Geographic Sciences and Resources Research (CAS), International Center of Tropical Agriculture (CIAT, CGIAR), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI, CGIAR)) and, three process-oriented models (Landscape DNDC, CropSyst, CNMM-DNDC). Prof. Klaus Butterbach-Bahl from and Dr. Rolf Sommer are participants representing the CIAT and ILRI and Kenya. It is the initial progress under our network framework to gather together scientists from different regions/organizations of the world to collaborate for developing strategies of climate-smart and environment-friendly agriculture. At moment, the LMAS net work has no further update, yet. The GHGfom project proposal abstract is attached as follows for your reference if you need it in preparing for the report document. As maize is the staple crop feeding the largest population of the world, and the largest forage crop, enhancing its yield is crucial to solve the food security problem. But increasing maize yield may stimulate an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, which is conflict with the purpose of climate change mitigation. To resolve this conflict, climate-smart strategies are required urgently for maize production, aiming simultaneously at high yield and low GHG footprint, which in turn is defined as yield-scaled life-cycle GHG emission. In this project, maize cultivation systems under tropic, warm temperate and cool temperate climates are to be selected for multiple-factorial, long-term field experiments in Kenya and China. Three process-oriented biogeochemical models (CNMM-DNDC, LandscapeDNDC and CropSyst) are to be calibrated and validated by the experimental data. These models are also to be adapted to effective tools for simulation of GHG footprints under given climate conditions and management practices. Based upon simulation with the three adapted models and scenario studies, this joint project is to: a) reveal the maize yield capacities under different climates and their corresponding GHG footprints; b) identify the best integrative management practices that minimizing both the yield gap relative to the capacity and the GHG footprint under the current and predicted future climates; and, c) investigate the effects of extreme climate events and adjusted application of the suplus fertilizer nitrogen from China to the nitrogen-deficit Africa on the yield and GHG footprint for the targeted maize cultivation systems. The achievements of this joint project are expected to provide new knowledge, as well as a model-based tool, to support climate-smart decisions for best management of maize cultivation under both economic globalizing and changing global climate. Wish you have a very fruitfull conference in Japan and looking forward to seeing you in UK soon.

Croplands Research Group: Recent key achievements - Activities https://www.facebook.com/gracroplands Group activities, GRA news and outcome, Member countries activities (Multi-languages), IPCC, UNFCCC, FAO news and outcome MAGGnet – continuous to expand metadata content Working with CRG Conservation Agriculture Network to identify sites for meta-analysis of conservation ag practices. Creation of a searchable, online meta-database of experimental sites is ongoing (resource limitations an issue).

Croplands Research Group: Main ambitions Enable and support networks Via the networks continue to develop capacity building through multi-country activities Conservation Ag – 1) Identify and highlight Conservation AG case studies – peer-reviewed pub. 2) Understand management practises for cover crops which impact soil organic carbon and GHG emissions Identify how networks can contribute to relevant GRA Flagships (e.g., Soil Carbon Sequestration, GHG Inventory, Possible future Flagships on Nitrous Oxide and Circular food system)

Croplands Research Group: Main ambitions Support CRG activities – MAGGnet metadata collections of relevant publication GRAMPS – Modelling platform Social media activities via Facebook and Website Literature Database Enhance communication and coordination among CRG co-chairs, Network leaders and membership Next meetings:8 September 2017 in United Kingdom, Tentative August 2018 in Brazil – Potential for shared shared session with other RG.

Integrated Nutrient Management Network Conservation Agriculture Network Landscape management network Irrigation Efficiency Network Integrated crop-livestock systems Agroforestry systems Peatland management

CRG network Country activity Draft fact sheet 10 countries Integrated Nutrient Management Network USA Draft fact sheet 10 countries Conservation Agriculture Network Canada None reported Landscape management network China Irrigation Efficiency Network Integrated crop-livestock systems Minimal- Agroforestry systems Peatland management Norway