Sustainable intensification of legume-based livestock systems

Executive Summary

This project brings together eight countries that are characterized by having an important livestock activity, both for meat and milk production. Altogether, they concentrate about 400 million cattle heads, which represents more than 20% of world stock.

Livestock is mostly carried out under direct grazing, in markedly different agroecosystems, with a high diversity of forage resources. However, there are clear similarities in most of these countries: (i) livestock is developed in marginal areas for agriculture; (ii) livestock productivity is low, including poor grazing management and animal loads that are usually less than one animal per hectare; (iii) the efficiency rates are low and; (iv) livestock is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions in all the eight countries.

The forage legumes can play a central role through the biological fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, the improvement of the nutritional value of the animal´s diet and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Addressing these challenges and opportunities can be achieved more efficiently through a joint effort. Thus, the project seeks to establish a regional platform for cooperation in the improvement of livestock systems based on the use of forage legumes.

The technological solution

It is expected that the use of different legume species, that exist in the countries of the consortium, can contribute to increase animal productivity, making more efficient use of nitrogen through the use of its potential to sequester atmospheric N, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving edaphic characteristics, mainly its carbon sequestration capacity.

Results

Beneficiaries

The direct beneficiaries are 2.532 people, including farmers, technicians, researchers and students of the eight participating countries (Argentina 361, Brazil 163, Chile 333, Ecuador 336, Nicaragua 120, Paraguay 85, Dominican Republic 98 and Uruguay 1036. 

Regarding the type of beneficiaries achieved, 37 research institutes will participate with their respective experimental stations, also 18 universities, 247 researchers and 2230 farmers.

Sustainable Development Goals

Main donors

Dissemination products