Now available in Spanish language: FAO report on silvopastoral systems

Many traditional livestock production systems in Latin America - based on grass monoculture - tend to deplete natural resources in a process of continuous degradation. As an alternative, silvopastoral systems (SPS) combine livestock production with rotational grazing using different pastures, forages, fodder shrubs and timber trees as parts of the same system.

Within the scope of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL) and the Global Silvopastroal Network, FAO, CIPAV and agri benchmark joined efforts to evaluate different aspects of sustainability linked with silvopastoral systems.

Download: FAO Report in Spanish Language

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A framework for evaluating natural resource use efficiency was applied to a variety of silvopastoral production models to determine productivity and their socio-economic and environmental benefits. It presents an overview of SPS, their main characteristics and advantages regarding production and benefits for the environment and climate, and their contribution to the SDGs, describing the results of the case studies of adoption of SPS in diverse contexts.

The analysis was based on in-depth case study data of 10 dairy and beef farms in Colombia, Mexico and Argentina. For each farm, two scenarios were defined: conventional grazing (before the adoption of SPS) and the introduction SPS scenarios. These case studies cover a time period of ten years or more.

Results show that silvopastoral systems represent a valid alternative for livestock production, fulfilling most of the current criteria for sustainability, and in many cases providing multiple wins in terms of performance, productivity, environment, economics and animal welfare.

The downsides of the systems are a) the investment and capital need for establishment (water installations and troughs, fences, establishment costs for grasses, shrubs and trees) and b) the know-how to operate the systems. Here, national governments and international donors can play an important role to assist the establishment of SPS.