Pasture performance gap estimation using climate binning

• Grant number: 13/26364-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: August 23, 2014
• End date: April 24, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Jansle Vieira Rocha
• Grantee: Jansle Vieira Rocha
• Visiting researcher: John Sheehan
• Visiting researcher institution: University of Minnesota (U of M), United States
• Host Institution: Núcleo Interdisciplinar de Planejamento Energético (NIPE). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 12/00282-3 - Bioenergy contribution of Latin America, Caribbean and Africa to the GSB project - LACAF-Cane I, AP.BIOEN.TEM

Abstract

Pursuant to recruiting John Sheehan to come to Brazil for an extended visit, Luis Cortez and Jansle Rocha, in coordination with Lee Lynd propose a 1 year appointment as a Visiting Professor at UNICAMP. This appointment will provide John with an opportunity to continue his leading work in the area of livestock production and intensification, specially on the methodology for measuring pasture yield gap with climate binning approach. John will have an office at NIPE and is expected to work in close collaboration with Professors Jansle Rocha and Luis Cortez of the Department of Agricultural Engineering, with Dr. Cortez overseeing payments to John. The appointment is to start on or about April 1, 2014 and to extend for a year with premature termination possible by mutual agreement. During this time, it is hoped that the above-described proposal on geospatial analysis and modeling will be accepted and the project commence. Following publication of the above-described paper described paper on pasture intensification using climate binning, it is proposed that Drs. Sheehan and Rocha travel together to visit prominent researchers in the livestock intensification field as follows: FAO, The World Bank, The International Livestock Research Institute (CSIRO), and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). The purpose of these visits will be to disseminate information about the GSB project and in particular livestock and geospatial analysis activities, to inform the project's work and plans, and to foster potential collaborations. These visits are expected to substantially multiply the value of the proposed appointment at marginal cost. Upon completion of his PhD studies in the summer of 2013, Mr. Sheehan will be looking for a permanent appointment. In addition to allowing Mr. Sheehan to continue his leading work with the GSB project, the proposed appointment will also give him and the University of Campinas an opportunity to consider whether a longer-term arrangement might be mutually beneficial. (AU)