Public policies for the development of sustainable cattle sector with silvo-pastoral systems in Colombia, Argentina, and Costa Rica

By contributing more than 25% and 10% to the global beef and milk supply, Latin America and the Caribbean plays an important role in the global cattle industry. The cattle sector generates internal and external benefits as it guarantees food security and strongly contributes to economic development. Cattle production in the region not only has a long tradition but also is foreseen a promising future. By 2050, global meat consumption will increase by 100%, favoring the Latin American cattle industry due to its geographic location and availability of both human and natural resources. Despite this positive panorama, traditional cattle systems are still predominant in the region and can cause multiple environmental impacts, such as on water and soil resources, the loss of biodiversity, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and deforestation. The political debate thus centers around the transition from traditional to sustainable cattle systems, in which natural resources are being conserved and social and economic benefits increased. Despite the existence of numerous sustainable production alternatives, such as silvo-pastoral systems (SPS), adoption levels are low and the shift towards sustainability is perceived as slow and uncoordinated. This study aims to identify achievements and difficulties in the implementation of public policies for a sustainable cattle sector in Colombia, Argentina, and Costa Rica, for which policies focused on the use of silvo-pastoral systems and forage-based solutions were prioritized. These countries were selected considering their contrasting socio-economic realities and the strong efforts they have already made toward the transition to a sustainable cattle sector, evidencing the ongoing political debate and goodwill toward meeting the targets established in the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2015–2030. Based on the review of scientific articles, legal documents, and publications of public institutions and NGOs, a comparative qualitative analysis was carried out, documenting key policy developments between 2010 and 2020. The results indicate that the three countries have a willingness of state institutions to promote a sustainable cattle sector, expressed by their national development plans and legislative advances. The strategies of the three countries are similar, focusing on the need to reverse the loss of natural resources, reduce GHG emissions, stop deforestation, and promote the use of SPS. Although these documents usually contain general statements regarding the problems, often without being reflected in tangible results, it is necessary to recognize that they have also been the starting point for large-scale initiatives. The carbon-neutrality objective of Costa Rica stands out, a commitment that has made the country an international benchmark. The national, regional, and multi-actor strategies that exist in the three countries are another expression of this political will. The capacity for articulation among the actors is fundamental, linking public, private, academic, and other institutions, since it responds to the concept of public policy in which decisions are the result of joint work. In that regard, the sustainable cattle roundtables of Colombia and Argentina have had a preponderant role. Regarding the continuity and association of the programs, disparate circumstances are evident. In the case of Costa Rica, the carbon-neutrality objective has been preserved in the different governments and national development plans as well as in multi-sector and regional initiatives, such as the Cattle NAMA. In Argentina, although without a purpose as defined as in Costa Rica, national policies are well articulated with those at the local level, i.e., regarding silvo-pastoral systems. The situation in Colombia has not been as favorable since for many years no public policy coordinated local sustainability efforts, and thus their development has been independent and in a disorderly manner. The results suggest the sustainable development of cattle farming as an unquestionable necessity for the region since international demand and the role of different actors limit the possibility of continuing with traditional production practices. This scenario prompts the national governments to take forceful actions, which is not always reflected in the same way, since each country has particularities that determine the processes and, therefore, the results. Colombia, Argentina, and Costa Rica demonstrate such contrasts but despite there are dissimilar advances, the realities are not completely opposite to each other. On the contrary, the general perception is similar insofar as they are all in a process of evolution and still have many objectives to be achieved within the framework of the Paris Agreement and the SDGs. Even though the results are not fully satisfactory, the actors should persist so that public policies can lead to tangible effects. It is recommended to develop public policies with clear timelines and budgets that facilitate development, implementation, articulation, and evaluation. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen extension systems to provide cattle producers with the necessary knowledge for the transition to sustainable production systems. For Argentina, it is recommended that state institutions increase their efforts in deforestation policies, mainly for the Gran Chaco region. Colombia should formulate more ambitious objectives regarding the implementation of SPS. In Costa Rica, it is essential to articulate actions of national and international institutions with a multi-actor platform for sustainable cattle. For the three countries, the consolidation of the use of technological innovations that contribute to the monitoring of deforestation is recommended

Participatory workshop for co-designing innovations and interventions: Towards inclusive growth, employment, and income opportunities in the coffee value chain of Honduras

Between November 2022 and January 2023, the WP1 team in Honduras strategically consulted stakeholders of the coffee supply chain to obtain an overview and insights into bottlenecks and innovations at market linkages of the export coffee supply chain in Honduras. Simultaneously, a literature review on respective bottlenecks and innovations was conducted. The workshop engaged participants through plenary discussions, short online surveys that were accessible via QR-codes and through small-group discussions where participants self-selected based on interest. While the first part of the workshop served to achieve a shared understanding on issues and potential innovation areas in the coffee value chain, the ensuing working groups in the afternoon actively engaged participants in (1) the identification of innovations, (2) the prioritization of these, (3) bundling the most promising innovation, (4) capturing the associated theory of change and (5) tentatively suggesting associated research and scaling activities. Lastly, the group was asked to report back their results to the plenum

Presentation for Food Security and Agrifood Trade in Latin America and the Caribbean

Intraregional food trade in the LAC region offers untapped opportunities for expansion. Currently, 60 percent of LAC food imports come from extraregional suppliers, despite a high degree of complementarity in the production of food products across LAC countries. Expanding LAC’s intraregional trade could improve access to, availability, and diversity of food, and ensure more stable food supplies in the face of growing risk of shocks, such as economic crises, extreme weather events, conflicts, and epidemics. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) cordially invite you to the launch of the report: Food Security and Agrifood Trade in Latin America and the Caribbean, La Seguridad Alimentaria y el Comercio Agroalimentario en América Latina y el Caribe. This publication aims to inform government representatives and other decision-makers who formulate and implement agrifood policies and programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. It should also be useful for private sector actors, including producers, agroindustry, and trade associations, and for researchers interested in agricultural policy and trade analysis.La seguridad alimentaria y el comercio agroalimentario en América Latina y el Caribe Esta presentación será en español. Habrá traducción simultánea al inglés. El comercio intrarregional de alimentos en la región de América Latina y el Caribe (ALC) presenta oportunidades de expansión sin explotar. En la actualidad, el 60 por ciento de las importaciones de alimentos de ALC proceden de proveedores extrarregionales, a pesar del alto grado de complementariedad que existe en la producción de productos alimentarios entre los países de ALC. La expansión del comercio intrarregional de ALC podría mejorar el acceso a los alimentos, su disponibilidad y diversidad, además de garantizar un suministro de alimentos más estable ante el creciente riesgo de fenómenos que pueden impactar la región, como crisis económicas, eventos meteorológicos extremos, conflictos y epidemias. La Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación (FAO) y el Instituto Internacional de Investigación sobre Políticas Alimentarias (IFPRI) lo invitan cordialmente a la presentación del informe: La seguridad alimentaria y el comercio agroalimentario en América Latina y el Caribe. Esta publicación pretende poner en conocimiento a representantes gubernamentales y otros responsables de tomar decisiones que formulan e implementan políticas y programas agroalimentarios en América Latina y el Caribe. También debería ser útil para actores del sector privado, incluidos los productores, la agroindustria y las asociaciones comerciales, así como para investigadores interesados analizar la política agrícola y el comercio

Accelerating implementation of the African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2032) through the Nairobi Declaration commitments

The African Heads of State and Government gathered for the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, from 4th to 6th September 2023. The Summit sought to launch a new climate ambition for Africa and to invite supportive partnerships to pursue the continent’s climate-resilient, low emissions development pathways. The Summit focused on climate change and development in Africa, and the need for improved global investment in climate action. African countries were able to detail their plans and investment needs, and push for reform of international financial architecture. Importantly, the Summit mobilised support for the implementation of sustainable development and climate change related continental programmes and policies. It concluded with the Nairobi Declaration which specifically states the need to accelerate implementation of the African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2032). Many of the commitments and calls to action in the Declaration reinforce those given in the Strategy’s intervention axes, particularly those focused on renewable energy development, green industrialisation and employment creation, and the need for an increase in climate finance, and the restoration and conservation of land-based ecosystems. Although the Strategy is well supported by the Declaration through alignments in core action areas, there needs to be committed financing to support implementation. As such, the focus of the Declaration on climate finance solutions and the new financial commitments pledged at the Summit may provide a chance for African countries to afford the implementation of the commitments and suggested actions thereby progressing their climate resilient development and adaptation agendas

Co-creating a Timeline for Agroecological Transition in Tunisia: Unraveling Behavioral Drivers, Agency, and Behavior Change in Agroecological Transformation

The effectiveness of agroecological transition pathways heavily relies on stakeholders’ understanding of behavioral changes, agency, and collective decision-making. The Blog shows how The CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology is building a comprehensive timeline of initiatives and actors that have impacted progress towards the 13 agroecological principles in the Tunisian Agroecological Living Landscape (ALL) in order to successfully enable future transitions