An Overview Of Our Solution
Since 2010, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Antioquia, together with technical and scientific partners such as the National University of Colombia in Medellin, has been implementing a series of projects aimed at establishing socio-technological practices and improvements for sustainability and responsibility. The use of natural capital in the livestock sector, through the sophistication of agricultural production units, by adopting sustainable business practices and establishing Silvopastoral Systems (SSP), taking into account that they are a proven alternative to increase productivity and decrease the impact of livestock, increase animal production and at the same time generate environmental services, such as carbon capture and lower emission of enteric methane gas by animals.
- Population Impacted: 45000
- Continent: South America
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Analyse du contexte
In Antioquia, livestock occupies 2,595,607 hectares that are dedicated to grazing, but only 17% have potential use for livestock, which generates a conflict between current and potential use.
Antioquia has one of the highest deforestation rates in the country, with an estimated value of 20,000 hectares / year. Deforestation is a determining factor so most of the watersheds are in an accelerated process of erosion. A total of 406 micro-basins are clearly threatened, endangering the water supply for neighboring populations. On the other hand, for more than 50 years extensive livestock practices in the country have contributed to the degradation of soils, modifying their physical, chemical and microbiological conditions, favoring the loss of biodiversity in pastoral agroecosystems, whose negative effects directly affect environmental conservation.
Décrivez la solution technique que vous voudriez voir le public cible adopter.
Silvopastoral systems (SSP as one of the types of SAF) that incorporate trees and shrubs in livestock production systems are a strategy that responds to the objectives of livestock conversion that involves increased productivity and competitiveness, lower production costs, productive efficiency of natural resources and more environmentally friendly livestock production. In addition, its use contributes to counteract the negative environmental impacts of traditional systems, (by the greater carbon capture and reduction of methane and nitrous oxide emissions), the support of research and appropriate technology transfer, rigorous, complete and integrated and adjusted to the various systems of livestock production, is deficient in our country, which allows its subsequent escalation to the level of livestock landscape.
Décrivez votre intervention comportementale.
From the Government of Antioquia, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with the support of other institutions, projects have been implemented to motivate people to adopt the technical solution and generate desired behaviors for the sustainable and responsible management of natural resources in the livestock sector:
Evaluation and technology transfer for the renovation, management and efficient and innovative use of pastures, oriented to the competitive and environmentally sustainable production of bovine milk, in the North of Antioquia (in execution).
Implementation and technology transfer in silvopastoral systems associated with reforestation in the northern coast of the country and its evaluation through timber and livestock productivity and carbon capture under an integrated management (2011-2015).
Silvopastoral systems and intensive fodder production in rural areas for livestock sustainability in the Department of Antioquia. This project has two components: 1) Maintenance of Silvopastoral Systems-SSP and Recovery of Degraded Areas-RAD, for 200 has and 60 properties or cattle farms and; 2) Establishment of six Veredal Silvopastoral Nuclei - NSV and monitoring of silvopastoral arrangements, for 550 has. The technical results show in a convincing way the productive and economic increases, as well as the mitigation of climate change, illustrated with the data monitored in the field and in situ in several farms that are the object of the project.
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The establishment of silvopastoral systems has been carried out through application methods based on farm schools (FFS), a methodological learning process that develops the capacities of rural communities in the organization and management of working groups, taking advantage of individual and collective experiences, through observation, learning by doing and the establishment and transfer of practices for change management. In this process, the communities observe, identify and test previous learning and behavior, in contrast with the new socialized practices, to later adapt and adopt them according to the specific context, incorporating what is useful and discarding what does not work.
In the ECA, the subject of development is the producer. It promotes innovation and practical learning based on a specific objective, to produce more and in a sustainable way in consideration of the responsible and efficient use of natural resources, seeking to reduce environmental impacts.
Décrivez votre mise en œuvre.
Evaluation and technological transference for the renovation, management and efficient and innovative use of pastures, oriented to the competitive and environmentally sustainable production of bovine milk, in the North of Antioquia:
- Develop new and innovative strategies for efficient and sustainable technical management of pastures.
- To estimate the impact of the implemented strategy on economic aspects such as production costs and environmental aspects such as Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Dairy Systems.
- To increase the portfolio of productive technical services of companies, cooperatives and associations that impact the dairy activity.
- To transfer new technologies developed through the Farm School approach (ECA, learning-doing), in an environment of ICT technologies.
Implementation and technology transfer in silvopastoral systems associated with reforestation on the northern coast of the country and its evaluation through timber and livestock productivity and carbon sequestration under an integrated management: Develop models for the implementation, management and adoption of silvopastoral systems associated with reforestation with timber trees to improve forest and livestock productivity and mitigate global warming, as well as the income of reforestation producers.
Silvopastoral systems and intensive fodder production in veredales nuclei for livestock sustainability in the Department:
- Recovery of degraded areas through the implementation of silvopastoral systems in 60 properties with three hectares per property.
- Establishment of eight (8) Veredal Nuclei (NSV), each of approximately 50 hectares.
- Monitoring of implemented silvopastoral arrangements
- 1,800 hectares intervened, with adaptation, maintenance, establishment and monitoring of silvopastoral systems, recovery of degraded areas and improvement of pastures and forages.
- Establishment of Silvopastoral Systems with 304,590 trees and shrubs planted.
Décrivez le leadership de votre solution. Qui dirige la mise en œuvre?
At present, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Antioquia is carrying out the project.
Likewise, the BIORUM Research Group of the National University of Colombia has been carrying out important research, technological development and innovation work for the improvement of productivity, quality and carbon neutrality of the livestock. Currently, it is focusing its efforts on consolidating the advances associated with the processes of low-carbon livestock production reconversion in the Department of Antioquia and in key regions of the country, which have been oriented to strengthening the forestry economy, the sequestration and mitigation of GHGs, the establishment of Silvopastoral Systems (SSP) and the technical improvement of livestock production units for the production of low-carbon beef and milk.
Therefore, the leadership in the implementation of the technical solution has been shared, considering the capacities and competencies.
Principaux intervenants et partenaires du programme
Through the coordinated management of the Secretariat of Agriculture of Antioquia, the National University of Colombia in Medellín, the Reforestadora Integral de Antioquia (RIA), the Corporación Autónoma Regional del Centro de Antioquia (CORANTIOQUIA), the Corporación para el Desarrollo Sostenible de Urabá (CORPOURABÁ), the Corporación Autónoma Regional de las Cuencas de los Ríos Negro y Nare (CORNARE), AFAGRO and the Cattlemen's Associations present in the sub-regions of the Lower Cauca, In the Magdalena Medio, Suroeste and Urabá regions of the Department of Antioquia, and the Regional Roundtable on Sustainable Livestock Production, actions are being taken to strengthen the Territorial System of Agricultural Innovation aimed at environmental resilience, the consolidation of sustainable livestock clusters and chains and low-carbon economic development through the management of international cooperation resources.
These actors, who are converging on the implementation of SSPs, are joining forces in view of their capabilities and skills, but the resources available for this purpose are limited.
Qui a adopté le(s) comportement(s) souhaité(s) et dans quelle mesure?
The technical solution has been implemented and adopted in the Department of Antioquia, specifically in some sub-regions.
The solution, focused on the communities of cattle producers, has been adopted by approximately 1000 cattle farms in Antioquia, who through the Finca ECA method have changed their cattle production behaviors towards more sustainable and compatible models with the climate and the adequate use of natural resources (water, forest and soil), by providing information from workshops and training, the provision of learning tools and technical and scientific material.
The change in behavior has been measured through production factors, results of projects such as "Silvopastoral Systems and Intensive Forage Production in Veredales Nuclei for Livestock Sustainability in the Department of Antioquia with which 550 hectares of SSP previously established in the Department of Antioquia were maintained and monitored.
Quel a été votre impact sur la pollution de l'eau?
Since silvopastoral systems maintain soil fertility by providing organic matter, increase nutrient recycling, decrease evaporation, encourage water infiltration and increase the potential for carbon sequestration, the benefits of these can be estimated in terms of carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity and regulation of the hydrological cycle, among others. In addition, these systems can provide refuge for wildlife species and serve as biological corridors that connect with forest fragments found in livestock landscapes. On the other hand, they manage to provide firewood and timber by reducing pressure on natural forests. There is no doubt that when silvopastoral systems are implemented in livestock production areas, the integration of trees to pastures reduces erosion, improves air quality, favors biodiversity and enhances animal comfort.
Quel a été l'impact de votre solution sur les problèmes d'équité?
By 2019, 27.9% of households in Antioquia were food insecure (between moderate and severe), with the Northern and Eastern sub-regions at 72% and 49.4%, respectively. Before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic phase, FAO had already identified that 113 million people on the planet were already struggling with severe acute food insecurity. This means that they were already at the end of the hunger spectrum: weak and less equipped to defend themselves from the virus. With COVID-19 there is a high risk of a "crisis within a crisis" and that this figure will increase due to the inequalities presented mainly in developing countries.
It is in these territories, with high levels of food security risks, with land use conflicts and environmental conflicts, and with high indexes of unsatisfied basic needs, where the Technical Solution (Silvopastoral Systems) has been implemented, promoting the economic improvement of approximately 45 thousand people in vulnerable conditions.
Quels ont été les co-bénéfices environnementaux de votre solution?
From the environmental point of view (mitigation and adaptation to climate change), the increases in fodder consumption by animals are 14%, the decrease in enteric methane emissions by livestock in the emission intensities are 36%, the decrease in nitrous oxide emissions are 4.15%, and also the increase in carbon capture is 59.3%, compared to SSP vs SSA, which implies a balance of greenhouse gases (GHG) of +48.52% in favor of SSP
Quels ont été les avantages connexes de votre solution par rapport au développement durable?
SDG13 - Climate Action "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts", especially in target 2, to integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning, in this case by implementing action at the sub-national level.
SDG15 - Life of terrestrial ecosystems "Protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and biodiversity loss.
Durabilité : Décrivez la durabilité économique de votre solution.
The technical solution has been implemented in the Department of Antioquia from public investment resources allocated by the Government of Antioquia, competitive grants from the Ministry of Science, achieved through the formulation, management and project management by the Research Group BIORUM of the National University of Colombia and resources from the General System of Royalties.
However, it is expected that this type of technical solutions (silvopastoral systems) will be implemented through private resources. In this sense, work is being done with institutional actors for the establishment of business accelerators and private investment in this type of solutions.
Retour sur investissement : Combien a coûté la mise en œuvre de ces activités?
The three projects mentioned in this application, are part of a portfolio of projects managed and implemented by the Government of Antioquia that amount to a total value of COP$5,698,899,394. This means an investment of COP 126,000 per person. Whose results show, increases in milk production per cow and its quality of 9.3%, which improves in 49% the production of milk per area (hectare), representing an increase in the income of the producers in 25%. In meat production farms, the increase in the weight gain of steers is 35%; the animal load increases by 73%, bringing as a consequence, increases in the production of beef by area 134%, which implies an increase in the farmer's income of 21%.
Comment pourrions-nous reproduire cette solution ailleurs avec succès?
In order to successfully replicate this type of solution, it is necessary to generate business accelerator models that provide incentives and generate agricultural clusters based on green growth and sustainable livestock, structure a public-private financing instrument aimed at structuring and implementing research and development projects, agroforestry undertakings and silvopastoral systems, in order to consolidate the enabling conditions for private actors to allocate resources to the SSPs with government support.
The continuity of cohesive actions is required between the productive sectors (agricultural units or farms, livestock associations) with the government sector (Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development, Reforestadora Integral de Antioquia) and the academic and scientific sector (National University of Colombia). This continuity should be consolidated in spaces of inter-institutional articulation such as the Regional Table of Sustainable Livestock of Antioquia.