COVID-19 and the beef market in Latin America: An impact assessment by supply and demand

The impact of COVID-19 on agricultural markets, especially the beef market, represents one of the greatest food security challenges the world is facing in the post-pandemic era and, for this reason, has been widely documented. This study contributes to the literature through a comprehensive impact analysis of the effects of COVID-19 on both the demand and supply of beef in Latin America and thus provides valuable information for two of the most important links of the beef value chain. Robust econometric methods and a graphic analysis were used that give solidity to the investigation. The analysis used a data panel of supply and demand variables between 2018 and 2022 derived from the US Department of Agriculture. The results suggest that the beef market was strongly affected by the pandemic related health emergency, presenting decreases in both consumption and production. These effects are transitory, however, since the analysis of the post-pandemic data revealed that consumption and production return to normal and seem to grow until smoothing out over time

Market potential of new hybrid forages for East Africa

Dairy production is the main livestock activity in East Africa and provides food security and income to the poorest families in the region. Especially in the drier areas of East Africa, however, the availability of space for dairy farming is limited, leading to pressure for finding alternatives that help maximise its use. Cut-and-carry forages are one such solution, but the commonly used forages in these systems are generally of low quality making it difficult to fully cover the nutritional needs of the animals. Improved forages have shown to be good alternatives for increasing both quantity and quality of feeds in cut-and-carry systems and improving the adaptability to climate change. With the purpose of promoting the sustainability of livestock farming in the region, CIAT has been developing interspecific hybrids of Urochloa, which are on the market since more than a decade, and is also developing hybrids of Megathyrsus maximus adapted to the local productive and environmental conditions. The objective of this document is to estimate the potential markets for new hybrids of these two species in East Africa. With data from secondary sources, GIS studies of geographic environments, seed price databases, and expert consultation, we calculated the size of these potential markets (in ha) and estimated their potential values (in US$). The results indicate a regional market for new interspecific Urochloa hybrids of 352,158 ha with a value of US$ 62,479,997. The main markets are Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya, which make up 83% of the total market. The potential market for Megathyrsus maximus hybrids is 494,471 ha with a value of US$ 94,648,595. South Sudan, Ethiopia and Tanzania hold a share of 71.63% in this market. These figures show significant possibilities for the development of a more sophisticated forage hybrid seed system in the region. However, it is necessary to combine this with a favourable environment for adoption. Adequate information systems, seed marketing facilities, and continuous monitoring by extension services are essential for producers to adopt these technologies

Potential forage hybrid markets for enhancing sustainability and food security in East Africa

The cattle sector is strategic for both the economic development and food security of Africa, but the low availability and quality of forage puts the most vulnerable population at risk. Hybrid forages are an alternative for enhancing both food security and sustainability of the sector but adoption levels are still low in Africa, which is related to various factors such as the availability of seeds. This document analyzes potential markets for new interspecific hybrids of Urochloa and potential hybrids of Megathyrsus maximus, adapted to the environmental conditions of eastern and partially western Africa, applying a four-step methodology based on estimating (i) required forage amounts for each country according to its dairy herd, (ii) potential hectares for forage cultivation based on (i), (iii) hectares that can be covered by the two hybrids of interest according to a Target Population of Environment approach, and (iv) potential market values for each country and hybrid. The results show a potential market of 414,388 ha for new interspecific hybrids of Urochloa and 528,409 ha for potential hybrids of Megathyrsus maximus, with approximate annual values of 73.5 and 101.1 million dollars, respectively. Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya hold a market share of 70% for Urochloa, and South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Tanzania a 67% market share for Megathyrsus maximus. The results will help different actors in decision-making, i.e., regarding private sector investments in forage seed commercialization or public sector incentives supporting adoption processes, and thus contribute to increasing food security and sustainability in the region