Lincoln University exists to conduct world-class research and education to grow the knowledge of its students and help shape a world that benefits from a greater understanding of the relationships between land, food and ecosystems.
Lincoln University is New Zealand’s only land-based university, and for 142 years has been equipping our students, researchers and thought leaders with the knowledge and skills to grow a future where people can live well for generations to come. We are dedicated to advancing educations, research and technologies that will help solve grand challenges for the land-based sector in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.
Winemakers need to understand the full extent of climate change impacts on the industry, including how changes in temperature and humidity may affect the microbes that ferment grapes.
NZ’s sheep industry could be one of the biggest losers with the rise of alternative proteins. Once profitable industries will need to be ready to pivot away from animal-based products.
Tim Curran, Lincoln University, New Zealand and Jo Monks, University of Otago
New Zealand’s plants and animals are globally unique and underpin primary production and tourism. The government’s fast-tracking proposal threatens to erode the natural capital the economy relies on.
New Zealand cities grow mostly through building houses on undeveloped land. But this removes fertile soil and undermines the food production and other ecological functions city dwellers depend on.
Alien invaders are penetrating the borders of every country in the world. Now the full extent of the problems and potential solutions have been exposed, in a new United Nations report.
New Zealand’s food system – from production to delivery – has been built around efficiency rather than resilience to climate change and natural disasters. But there are solutions.
Consumers’ main concerns regarding farm monitoring are food safety, animal welfare and water quality. Many would like to see Māori values and land practices incorporated.
Dairy farming in New Zealand has intensified by using more supplementary feed. While this boosts production, costs also rise and this ultimately cuts profits - and it adds more harm to the climate.
The issue of ‘carbon leakage’ is used to argue against domestic pricing policy that could reduce agricultural production. But New Zealand farmers could benefit if competing countries also take action.
Wanglin Ma, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Hongyun Zheng, Huazhong Agricultural University, and Puneet Vatsa, Lincoln University, New Zealand
Paying without cash is growing in popularity. But, as the experience of China over the past decade shows, the benefits of mobile payments can leave some groups behind.
Horticulture underpins the local economy in areas devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle. Climate change may mean some parts of the region will become less suitable for crop production during this century.
Urban green spaces are threatened by growing cities. But research shows the importance of protecting access to nature as housing densification increases.
New Zealand’s first adaptation plan gives local councils clearer guidelines, but it doesn’t tackle crucial questions about who should pay and how to future-proof major investments.
Invasive mammals have already removed some native bird species from our cities. It’s why urban forest restoration and predator control are crucial to support the ‘ghosts of predation past’.
Ending GST on some foods is being touted as a way to reduce food poverty. But cheap food comes with a high environmental and health cost. Is there a way to value food but reduce hardship?
Most consumers want a better deal, but New Zealand’s small size and relative isolation make it hard for large-scale competitors to enter the supermarket sector.
New Zealand can expect more days above 25°C, the threshold for heat stress in livestock, and fewer frost days, which will affect crops like kiwifruit that need winter chilling.
Judy Lawrence, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Alistair Woodward, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Anita Wreford, Lincoln University, New Zealand, and Mark John Costello, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
As the impacts and costs of climate change increase over time, New Zealand’s financial systems could become less stable and the government less able to support those affected.