A Strategy for Scaling-Up Intensive Silvopastoral Systems in Colombia

Abstract

Silvopastoral systems (SPS) enhance milk and meat production and are instrumental for the productive rehabilitation of degraded lands. Intensive silvopastoral systems (ISPS) combine fodder shrubs planted at high densities (>10,000 plants ha−1), trees and pastures. Scaling-up such systems requires incentives to address financial and knowledge barriers. In Colombia, the strategy for scaling-up SPS has combined five elements. First, participatory research on real farms contributed to optimize SPS in different agroecosystems and strengthened a network of pilot farms open to research and peer-to-peer technology transfer. Second, capacity building, training, and outreach activities spread the principles of SPS among farmers, field workers, researchers, extension workers, and policy makers. Third, pilot projects explored the role of incentives such as Payment for Environmental Services (PES), technical assistance, soft loans and bonus prices, in spreading SPS. Fourth, successful pilot projects were instrumental in influencing the livestock sector as well as the public policy agenda. Fifth, currently, large-scale projects aimed at mainstreaming SPS are applying the lessons learned in order to achieve landscape-scale benefits, enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation, and introduce SPS products to green markets. Recently, innovation networks have contributed to speed up the adaptation of SPS in different environmental and socioeconomic contexts.