Chinese agricultural entrepreneurs and researchers are striving to help farmers in animal husbandry to reduce carbon emissions during farming.

The move comes as people in the industry have become increasingly aware of the impacts the animals have on the environment.

Zhou Fang spoke with a researcher and an entrepreneur, who are both NPC deputies in this field.

Research shows that animal husbandry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the industry is responsible for about 15% of global carbon emissions.

Among the animals, emissions from cows are the most significant, with a cow emitting around 500 liters of methane per day.

Studies show that the greenhouse effects of methane are over 20 times more potent than those of carbon dioxide.

National lawmaker Wu De from Sichuan Agricultural University says they are employing new technologies and methods to solve the problem.

"First, we can minimize the amount of methane emitted by cows by controlling the nutrients in their feed. Different types of feed with different nutrients will lead to different amounts of methane produced by cows. We can also use biological technologies to reduce the amount of methane bacteria in its rumen."

Researchers at Sichuan Agricultural University test the amount of methane a cow emits daily. [Photo: courtesy of Wu De]

Other practices in animal husbandry such as foraging, feeding, and land use also emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases.

Wu says they can develop a formula of nutrients for cows by using technologies such as artificial intelligence.

"We already have relatively mature technologies to accurately formulate animal feed with specific nutrients. We can also use technologies to reduce methane bacteria in cows' rumen. But currently the technologies still need further improvement. Moreover, we can cultivate specific breeds of animals with a higher feed conversion ratio, which means they consume less feed. At the same time, the method of planting and animal breeding circulation can also significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve soil quality."

Researchers at Sichuan Agricultural University check the effects of animal feed with specific nutrients. [Photo: courtesy of Wu De]

Deputy Wang Yinxiang is a village chief in Cao County, Shandong Province.

She set up an agricultural enterprise in the village decades ago.

Cao is guiding the farmers to adopt planting and animal breeding circulation.

"We have started an industry chain for the land-to-table circular economy. For instance, we feed our cattle crop straw instead of burying it under the soil. This allows the animals to obtain nutrients and grow, while also preventing the growth of germs and pests that can arise from burying the straw. The straw needs to be thoroughly decomposed."

Wang says her enterprise has been emphasizing the importance of increasing soil utilization efficiency and organic circular agriculture.

"The dung from the cows we are raising is used as organic fertilizers after bio-safety disposal. The manure from poultry is also very nutritious for crops. If you throw it away randomly or pour it into the river, it will pollute our environment. With the cow manure, we don't need to apply any chemical fertilizers or pesticide on the soil. "

China has unveiled a plan to promote the green development of the country's agricultural sector during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, from 2021 to 2025.

The plan identifies pollution control and the development of a low-carbon agricultural industrial chain as the key tasks for the period.