Paving the way for a greener dairy industry

The dairy industry is often criticised for its environmental impact, but a new innovation called DESTiny aims to empower farmers to take control of their carbon footprints. Riana Reinecke, the tool's developer, explained to Glenneis Kriel how it works and how farmers can benefit from it.

- Riana Reinecke and Glenneis Kriel

In January 2022, Milk South Africa (Milk SA), in conjunction with ASSET Research, initiated the development of a web-based tool called Dairy Environment Sustainability, or DESTiny for short, to help dairy producers analyse and calculate their carbon footprints. Riana Reinecke, who developed DESTiny as part of her doctorate in sustainable dairy production at Stellenbosch University, says the tool is much more than a carbon calculator, as it considers a farm's environmental impact holistically.

“Instead of merely focusing on net greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions from cattle, DESTiny considers the biological carbon cycle to give a holistic view of the footprint of cattle within a farming system. To this end, it uses system dynamics modelling to evaluate multiple aspects of sustainability, including energy, water, waste management, and biodiversity,” she explains.

“The model identifies areas on different farms that require focus, and allows users to create a baseline, track progress, and make data-driven decisions.”

The tool’s development was driven by growing international concern over climate change and efforts to limit global warming to below 2°C. In response, various dairy industries in countries like the US, Canada, and Denmark have committed to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Strategies to reduce and achieve net- zero emissions include improving feed efficiencies, enhancing manure management, promoting sustainable agriculture practices, and increasing energy efficiencies.

A SCIENCE-BASED TOOL

Reinecke says the objective of DESTiny is to give the industry a science-based tool with which to measure sustainability. As such, it will counter arguments from activists, who might make impossible demands based on unscientific assumptions, and could be used to inform future policy development, for example, those related to carbon taxes.