Identification and Assessment of Livestock Best Management Practices (BMPs) Using the REDD+ Approach in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Bolier Torres,Carlos Bravo,Christian Velasco,David Eche,Yenny Torres,Antón García

doi:10.3390/agronomy11071336

Abstract

Deforestation is a severe threat to diversity in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region (EAR). To mitigate deforestation, it is necessary to know the relevant stakeholders’ roles and interactions and deepen our knowledge of the local livelihoods, objectives, potentials, limitations, and “rights of being” among farms, as well as the best management practices (BMPs). In this study, our aim was to identify and assess livestock BMPs along an elevational gradient to foster sustainable production and reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+). This approach could be environmentally and economically beneficial. Data were collected from 167 households along three elevational gradients, as well as from 15 interviews held among a multidisciplinary panel of key stakeholders and researchers in the EAR. The results showed that most of the Kichwa population lives in the medium zone, which features a larger agricultural and forest surface. Conversely, in the lower and upper areas, livestock predominates, where the upper area is specialized in milk production and the lower area in dual-purpose cattle (meat and dairy). The stakeholder assessment provided several key results: (a) social, structural, and technical factors have complementary effects on BMP adoption; (b) the sixteen assessed BMPs facilitated the implementation of existing financial incentive programs and enabled public–private partnerships to develop REDD+ projects. The policy implications of implementing these approaches are also discussed.

Highlights

The establishment of grazing lands for livestock accounts for 77% of the total farming land in the world [1] and produces 14.5% of global greenhouse gases (GHGs) [2]
We developed best practices through an analysis of the literature followed by workshops with a multidisciplinary panel of 15 stakeholders and researchers
This research contributes to a characterization of the farms along the elevational gradient in the upper Ecuadorian Amazon

Summary

Introduction

The establishment of grazing lands for livestock accounts for 77% of the total farming land in the world [1] and produces 14.5% of global greenhouse gases (GHGs) [2]. This issue is prominent in the tropics, where deforestation conventionally generates pasture for cattle-raising and other basic crops [3]. In terms of livestock production, an alternative could be “sustainable intensification” [5] This option has gained substantial attention over the last few years under the global scenario of climate change.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion