Towards Net Zero Agriculture Pathfinder
Helping Australian farmers tackle emissions from the ground up with science.
The Towards Net Zero Agriculture Pathfinder, a joint initiative by the CEFC and CSIRO, is an online tool to help Australian farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining productivity and competitiveness.
About the Pathfinder
Towards Net Zero Agriculture Pathfinder
The CEFC aims to bridge a critical gap for farmers keen to invest in sustainable practices. This practical guide provides tools and knowledge to enable Australian farmers to explore and adopt practices that reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and are suited to their business mix and farm management goals.
Visit the Pathfinder
Pathfinder exemplifies the power of science and finance working hand-in-hand to help Australian farmers address climate challenges. It empowers farmers with the tools and knowledge to make informed decisions tailored to their operations, whether it be optimising fertiliser use or adopting methane-reducing pasture species.Heechung SungHead of Natural Capital, CEFC
About the guide
The Towards Net Zero Agriculture Pathfinder (Pathfinder) was developed by CSIRO to support the CEFC Towards Net Zero Agriculture Investment strategy, which includes providing farmers with discounted finance and tools to accelerate their plans to implement low emissions farming activities.
The Pathfinder is suitable for:
- Farm managers seeking a guide to invest in technologies and practices that yield financial returns and environmental improvements
- Agriculture consultants and advisers looking to guide their clients towards sustainable and profitable farming solutions
- Farming sector decision-makers who can use the guide to help align their operations with a future that balances economic viability with environmental stewardship.
The guide includes:
- Information on how to create a greenhouse gas baseline to provide a way of estimating changes in emissions
- A Farm Emissions Reduction Plan template that considers emissions reduction goals alongside farming enterprise-related goals
- Details on farm emissions reduction activities covering agronomic, livestock and energy footprints as well as land use change
- Additional guidance on ‘technology stacking’ demonstrating how combining selected emission reduction strategies can deliver additional sustainability benefits.
About the opportunity
Agriculture contributes billions to Australia’s GDP, but to stay competitive and meet climate targets, we need new ways to enable our farmers to act - both on farms, and in markets.
As global supply chains demand higher transparency, producers who can demonstrate their emissions reductions are expected to have greater access to premium markets and competitive financing.
The Pathfinder is a practical, evidence-based online resource enabling farms to make informed decisions tailored to their operations.
The activities outlined in the Pathfinder may also be eligible for CEFC-backed discounted finance, bridging a critical gap for farmers keen to invest in sustainable practices.
We must create pathways to help farmers deliver their low-emissions commodities into sustainability-focused supply chains. This needs to be a team game. By integrating environmental sustainability with financial viability, this collaboration with the CEFC is helping create a pathway to a prosperous, net zero agricultural sector.Dr Michael BattagliaToward Net Zero lead, CSIRO
The CEFC and natural capital
The CEFC role in convening capital and establishing and promoting best practice is critical to the fragmented natural capital sector.
CEFC investments in natural capital range from large-scale commitments to specialised cropping and livestock sector funds to providing discounted finance for smaller-scale energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements in agriculture production.
