Silvopastoral systems, a powerful approach for cattle ranching to adapt to climate change
This brochure describes a more sustainable cattle ranching model - silvopastoral systems - that enables ranching to adapt to the rigors and risks of a rapidly changing climate. Cattle ranching, one of the most important sectors of Colombia’s rural economy, generates income for more than half a million rural families and guarantees a significant share of national supply of beef and dairy production. Extensive ranching - the dominant form of ranching in Colombia - is often unproductive, detrimental to the environment, and highly vulnerable to climate events.
The information presented here draws on a case study conducted for the Colombia Mainstreaming Sustainable Cattle Ranching Project (CMSCR). The brochure offers a number of key takeaways, including:
- SPS are a proven, powerful approach to reduce the vulnerability of cattle ranching and adapt to an increasingly variable climate.
- Investing in resilience through SPS is a win-win strategy, not only for cattle ranchers but also for buyers, processors, and retailers of milk and beef, whose supply chains will become more resilient as SPS become more widespread in Colombia.
- Financial institutions should recognize the resilience embedded in SPS as a driver of reduced vulnerability, which makes climatesmart agriculture projects more attractive for them to finance.