Development of Competitive Livestock Production Systems with Low Greenhouse Gases Emissions in Central America

Code:
FTG/RF-14652-RG
Initiative:
Joint proyects
FONTAGRO Amount:
USD 114.000
Counterpart Amount:
USD 557.500
Execution time
24 Months
Total Amount:
USD 857.500
Participating countries:
Costa Rica Costa Rica Honduras Honduras Nicaragua Nicaragua Panama Panama
Funding source:
FONTAGRO Amount 13% Other agencies 22% Counterpart Amount 65%

Executive Summary

Farms with lower intensification only have grazing systems and generate more CH4 emissions than higher intensified farms. In contrast, farms with greater intensification systems have feeding strategies such as supplementing lactating cows with commercial concentrates, minerals, and silages. Furthermore, they tend to implement more management strategies such as pasture management plans, soil analysis, technical fertilization recommendations, rest periods, proper animal load and type of grasses and legumes usage. All these strategies result in greater milk production per cow and lower CH4 emission per liter of milk produced. Enteric fermentation is the main source of livestock emission. Farms less intensified only have grazed animals and generate 103% more methane emissions than more intensified farms that supplement with forage banks and concentrates. Furthermore, more intensified farms produce an average of 2.1 more liters of milk per cow.

The technological solution

Farms with lower intensification only have grazing systems and generate more CH4 emissions than higher intensified farms. In contrast, farms with greater intensification systems have feeding strategies such as supplementing lactating cows with commercial concentrates, minerals, and silages.

Furthermore, they tend to implement more management strategies such as pasture management plans, soil analysis, technical fertilization recommendations, rest periods, proper animal load and type of grasses and legumes usage. All these strategies result in greater milk production per cow and lower CH4 emission per liter of milk produced.

Results

Enteric fermentation (methane) is the main source of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. The most productive farms had lower emissions due to their mitigation strategies, such as supplementing with high-quality forages and using improved pastures. Methane emissions (CH4) constitute between 80 and 93% of GHG emission. The remaining 20 to 7% comes from manure, electricity, fertilization and fuels. Farms with lower intensification only have grazing systems and generate more CH4 emissions than higher intensified farms. Medium and higher intensification farms implemented feeding (i.e., supplementing lactating cows with commercial concentrates) and management (i.e., rest periods and proper animal load) strategies. These result in greater milk production per cow and lower CH4 emission per liter of milk produced. More intensified farms produce an average of 2.1 more liters of milk per cow. Furthermore, farms less intensified only have grazed animals and generate 103% more methane emissions than more intensified farms.

Beneficiaries

  • 400 farms for carbon dioxide (CO2)-base line quantification
  • 74 professionals trained
  • 7 undergraduate and graduate level thesis

Sustainable Development Goals

No poverty Zero Hunger Good health and well-being Sustainable cities and communities Responsible consumption and production Climate action

Main donors

Participating Organizations

Executor
  • Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) - Costa Rica
Co-executor
  • Instituto de Innovación Agropecuaria de Panamá (IDIAP) - Panamá
  • Instituto Nacional de Innovación y Transferencia en Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Costa Rica
  • Instituto Nicaragüense de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) - Nicaragua
  • Dirección de Ciencia y Tecnología Agropecuaria (DICTA) - Honduras

Graphics and data

Financing by country (in USD)
FONTAGRO Amount Other agencies Counterpart Amount

Geolocated Map

Researchers

Project leader Costa Rica

John Beer

Researcher

Diego Tobar

Researcher

Luis Urbina Abaunza

Researcher

Claudia Sepúlveda

Researcher

Sergio Abarca Monge

Researcher

Roberto Soto Blanco

Researcher

Jessica Hassan

Sponsors
BID
IICA
With the support of
Fondo Coreano de Alianza para el Conocimiento en Tecnología e Innovación (KPK)