Economic evaluation of forage materials in Colombia

This document aims to assess the financial viability of two new forage options to be released in Colombia, as a result of different evaluation and selection processes conducted by AGROSAVIA and its partners. The following varieties were evaluated from an economic perspective: (i) Brachiaria brizantha 26124 hp. Orinoquia for meat production in the Colombian East Plains region; and ii) Megathyrsus Maximus cv. Savannah agrosavia for meat production in the Colombian humid Caribbean region. The methodology is based on a discounted free cash flow model, the estimation of financial feasibility indicators, and an analysis that is based on Monte Carlo simulation, to consider the risk level of critical variables of the model

Marco legal de la cadena de valor de la carne en Colombia

Este estudio se realiza como parte del proyecto socio-económico “Estudio de sistemas de pequeños ganaderos eco eficientes hacia diferenciación de productos y pago de servicios ambientales en los municipios de Patía y Mercaderes, Cauca”, contribuyendo al cumplimiento del objetivo específico “Analizar la disposición de los consumidores de carne a pagar por servicios ambientales (PSA) y/ productos diferenciados”. Dicho proyecto se encuentra en el marco del programa de investigación “Desarrollo y uso de recursos forrajeros para sistemas sostenibles de producción bovina para el departamento del Cauca”, realizado entre la Universidad del Cauca y el Programa de Forrajes Tropicales del CIAT, y financiado por Sistema General de Regalías (SGR). El programa está compuesto por cinco proyectos basados en el uso de forrajes tropicales que responden a los siguientes componentes: Germoplasma, Agua, Ambiente, Suelos, y Socio-económico

Impact of agricultural land conversion on climate change

Climate change and land use conversion are two major global environmental issues. A claim is made that climate change has brought new challenges for global land use, while land use conversion is hardly realized as a major driver for climate change. Using mapping techniques, this study aims to investigate the relationship between climate change and agricultural land conversion (ALC), by which land is converted from agricultural to other uses (e.g., urban areas, national and natural parks, roads, industrial areas, and afforestation projects). CO2 emission is considered as the main impact of climate change, and agricultural land conversion is regarded as the most important global land use. In this study, data are obtained from two databases: the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for the period of 1962-2011. Considering the FAO (2015) classification, the countries are categorized into five different groups (high-income non-OECD, high-income OECD, upper-middle-, lower-middle-, and low-income countries). Economies were divided into several income groups according to 2014 gross national income per capita. The results show that agricultural areas in high-income countries have decreased, while in low- to middle-income countries, they have increased. The highest CO2 emissions can be observed, especially in high-income countries, whereas the lowest CO2 emissions happen in the low- and lower-middle-income countries. The results further show that there is a positive relationship between CO2 emissions and ALC across the world. It can be observed that CO2 emission is increasing where agricultural area is declining. On the contrary, CO2 emission is declining where agricultural area is increasing

Gender [im]balance in productive and reproductive labor among livestock producers in Colombia: Implications for climate change responses

Roles and responsibilities in livestock production and household maintenance are segregated along gender lines. Men’s and women’s participation in the livestock sector varies by tasks. Women combine livestock production, particularly, milk processing activities with the responsibility of household and care work. Men’s and women’s indirect contribution with regard to maintenance of the household and care provision to family members is also crucial for healthy and smooth functioning of livestock productive activities and therefore, must be accounted for in policy decisions, including those related to changing climate. As a response to climate change induced drought, men, and particularly women, are investing their labor in alternative sources of income to pay for water provision services to meet the water demands of their animals. For women who already face the double burden of productive and reproductive work, this coping mechanism may deepen their time poverty

Cattle production under grazing with improved forages in the lowland tropics of Colombia

* Increase in global population and changes in people’s lifestyles and diets generate high demand for animal protein sources. * Cattle production systems in Colombia are mostly extensive and inefficient. * The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) works on sustainable intensification (SI) of livestock systems through improving their efficiency and productivity while mitigating negative environmental effects (e.g. deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions). * SI of livestock systems can be achieved through selection and breeding and subsequent adoption of improved forages, which can either be used as stand-alone technology or be part of a (e.g. silvopastoral) system. * Silvopastoral systems (SPS) have shown excellent results in terms of higher biomass production, higher animal stocking rates, better nutritional quality and positive environmental effects

Economic analysis of tropical forages in livestock systems in the eastern plains of Colombia

70% of the Colombian livestock production are characterized by extensive production systems, which usually show low productivity levels, low land use efficiency and often lack environmental sustainability. This is related to native or naturalized grasses and degraded pastures that generate limited forage supply, both in biomass and quality, especially in the dry season. The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and its partners are working on the selection and development of improved forages able to adapt to diverse soil and climatic conditions of the lowland tropics, while increasing productivity levels and reducing the environmental impact of livestock production. However, the establishment of these new forage technologies implies higher investment and management costs for the producer, which could limit their adoption. This paper evaluates the financial viability of the implementation of new forage technologies, in this case of improved pastures and scattered trees in livestock systems, and compares them to the traditional production system with native/naturalized pastures. The developed model is based on a cash flow analysis and a Monte Carlo simulation, and includes uncertainty factors in the variables identified as critical (e.g., meat price, productivity). Research took place in 2015 in the Casanare Department in the Eastern Plains of Colombia. The results indicate that investment in improved pastures is profitable with an incremental net present value (NPV) of US$ 45 and an internal rate of return of 18%. The system in association with scattered trees was not profitable due to the high initial investment costs and time expectations for achieving improvements in production parameters. Both evaluated alternatives were only evaluated for livestock income, not taking into account additional income that might arise from the trees (e.g., fruits, wood). The feasibility of investment is highly sensitive to changes in the selling prices of the meat and expected returns. The technologies evaluated in this study showed to be an alternative to improve production efficiency and profitability of livestock farms. However, strategies and / or incentives need to be developed that aim at reducing the high initial costs of systems in association with scattered trees