Latin American ranchers cut greenhouse gas emissions by almost a third

With innovative actions in animal management, in pastures and with waste to recover nutrients from the soil, livestock producers in Latin America have managed to reduce greenhouse gases by almost a third, the United Nations Organization reported this Friday. for Food and Agriculture (FAO).

The agency obtained these results from specific data that it collected in the field assistance work for ranchers in the region.

One of them is the Argentine Walter Lorenz, from the province of Buenos Aires, who claimed to have understood that “for the chain to work, the soil has to be healthy and well nourished,” according to a statement from the FAO.

“We should not look at it as a substrate, but as a living organism. We must treat and respect it as such, “said Lorenz, who is a doctor by profession but has been involved in livestock for 15 years.

During this time, he has sought to copy the movements of nature itself, focusing on rational grazing which, in addition, ensured that it has meant a positive change in productivity.

“In numerical terms, our yield is 180 kilos per hectare and at no additional cost, but the most important thing for me is to see my fat cows, healthy calves and my lush pasture all year round, without any type of agrochemical”, express.

To the north, crossing the Rio de La Plata, is Adela Delgado, a rancher from the Uruguayan region of Durazno who has been cattle ranching for 21 years.

“Recovering the soil is one of the most important factors and avoiding overgrazing that degrades it. Fortunately, this process has shown us that it is perfectly feasible to be profitable without causing harm to the environment ”, he assured.

This cattle ranch has achieved increased productivity and income through improvement in pasture production.

“These techniques cause concrete improvements: we have evidenced a better pregnancy rate, heavier calves, more robust cows and more kilos of meat per hectare. It is the result of land management, without large additional expenses that relieve small producers like us ”, he commented.

Nicolás Errandonea and Karina Lombardo, producers from the Uruguayan region of Artigas, are two other examples of ranchers who implemented sustainable and respectful techniques with the use of the soil.

Together with state FAO and FAO technicians who support them, they have managed to increase beef production and a 26% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

“These cases are a clear example with which we want to demonstrate to the livestock sector that, with innovative and sustainable actions, we not only contribute to the environment, but also improve competitiveness, profitability and provide greater food safety,” said Andrés González, official of Livestock, Health and Animal Biodiversity of FAO.

For the United Nations, it is possible to develop climate-smart livestock that aims to improve production, income and, at the same time, reduce emissions, increase resilience against extreme weather events and restore the ecosystem services of the natural field.

“Bearing in mind that Latin America is expected to be the next global food producer, it is imperative to extend practices that contribute to sustainable livestock throughout the region,” said González.

“For this, we are already implementing actions with about 30 projects at the continental level and with very satisfactory results,” he added.

Last Sunday, World Soil Day was commemorated, an instance in which the FAO highlighted the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems, as well as supporting livestock farmers to manage their production efficiently and respectfully with the environment.

According to the latest FAO studies, Latin America and the Caribbean has 23% of the potentially arable land, 12% of the currently cultivated land and 46% of the world’s tropical forests.

Despite this natural wealth, almost half of these areas are degraded, according to the agency, which underlined the fundamental importance of undertaking these sustainable initiatives.