Cover photo: Participants of the Beni savanna Sustainable Cattle Ranching workshop organized by Armonia in Trinidad.
Cattle ranchers from Beni Bolivia along with environmental organizations collaborated to gather information to define a sustainable cattle ranching model for the Beni savanna, focusing on productivity, profitability, but above all, being compatible with the Beni savanna natural grassland ecosystem without altering its land use. Armonia organized a two-day workshop on Sustainable Cattle Ranching in Trinidad (Beni), held on February 29th and March 1st, 2024. The event, organized by Asociación Armonía, was conducted in partnership with the Grupo de Trabajo para los Llanos de Moxos (GTLM) and the Beni Ranching Federation (FEGABENI).
“The success of this workshop was the collaborative approach to develop the basis for a sustainable and profitable cattle production model compatible with the Beni Savanna ecosystem. But also, the understanding that both the ranchers and environmental institutions are allies in the conservation of the Beni natural grasslands through the implementation of eco-friendly ranching practices”, stated Tjalle Boorsma, Conservation Program Director for Asociación Armonía. Armonia implements a sustainable cattle ranching model within the Barba Azul Nature Reserve since 2019 to protect the Critically Endangered Blue-throated Macaw and has studied various components of the Beni livestock chain.
Photo: Luz Natalia Mercado, coordinator of the Blue-throated Macaw Conservation Program, presented the work of Asociación Armonía and its efforts in sustainable cattle ranching.
Hernán Nogales, president of Beni Ranchers Federation, inaugurated the first day of the event. This day allowed for the exchange of experiences in the transition from conventional to sustainable cattle ranching practices, as well as learning about meat certification processes at both national and international levels,” reported Marlene Barral, sustainable ranching specialist at the landscape scale for Asociación Armonia.
Photo: Hans Peter Elsner, Chief Executive Officer at Estancia Espíritu, presented the experiences of their sustainable cattle ranching practices in the Beni savanna.
One of the stories that was shared on the transition towards sustainable ranching comes from the Beni itself, led by Hans Peter Elsner from Estancia Espíritu, who developed a ranching system based on decade-long records of meteorological data, planning and developing long-term strategies. These actions have allowed him to plan and adapt his production system to cope with the extreme weather conditions of the Beni savannas. These extreme conditions directly influence water availability, soil structure and forage availability, and are addressed through technical management improvements based on over 25 years of data. All of this is framed within his goal to achieve a ranching model being sustainable, productive, and profitability.
Grover Ibáñez Gómez, Chief Executive Officer at TECNOGenética Beni, shared crucial data emphasizing areas for enhanced efficiency to boost productivity, aligning with market demands, and ensuring that these improvements are directed towards sustainability and environmental objectives. During his presentation, Ibáñez addressed the difficulties ranchers face in the challenging Beni savanna grasslands, emphasizing the necessity for management practices personalized to the local context and for ensuring livestock are suitably acclimated to this environmental harshness.
Juan Pablo Llapiz, a cattle rancher at Estancia Lago Azul, contributed another insightful local perspective, focusing on the tangible impact of jaguar attacks on his livestock. His research revealed that factors such as management practices and staff integrity significantly influence livestock losses, rather than solely attributing them to jaguar predation. He advocates for thorough data collection on cattle mortality to pinpoint areas for management improvement. Additionally, Llapiz emphasized the importance of implementing sustainable ranching practices, such as “no hunting,” to ensure an adequate food supply for jaguars, thereby reducing the risks of attacks and mitigating conflicts between predators and livestock.
The event also showcased sustainable cattle ranching practices within comparable ecosystems across Latin America. Experts from Colombia and Uruguay illustrated ongoing initiatives in other regions of the continent, emphasizing the development of environmentally conscious production models compatible to grassland ecosystems.
Photo: Participants engaged in dialogue about the guidelines for the construction of a sustainable cattle ranching model in the Beni savanna.
On the second day, a collaborative dialogue was created through participatory methodologies aimed at drafting guidelines for “Sustainable Cattle Ranching” in the Beni savanna. All stakeholders engaged in discussions that delved into the multifaceted aspects of sustainable development, including productivity, environmental considerations, and socio-cultural dimensions of ranching practices. “In this manner, we aim to bolster the capabilities of ranchers while mitigating their vulnerability to climate change impacts. Additionally, we underscore the significance of sustainable ranch management in evaluating the ecosystem services provided by the Beni savannas, all the while preserving land use integrity and halting biodiversity loss,” reported Barral.
At the conclusion of the workshop, Grover Ibáñez Gómez Ortega emphasized the importance of a collaborative and positive outlook on sustainable cattle ranching, which unites all stakeholders toward a common objective rather than fostering opposition. “We are not adversaries of the environment; quite the opposite, we are pivotal participants and potentially the solution for the Beni savanna’s conservation and sustainable management,” he remarked.
Photo: Representatives from the Beni Cattle Ranchers Federation, Armonía and WCS after discussing the next steps towards a sustainable future for the Beni Department. FEGABENI.
International experiences
Paola Fernández: Collaborative learning – Implementing sustainable ranching in the Colombian savannas show strong similarities to the Beni savanna.
“It’s crucial to understand that conservation and production are not separate sectors, but they must be integrated,” emphasized Andrea Paola Fernández Lavado, a renowned specialist in sustainable, low-emission, and resilient cattle ranching. “Our first step should be to glean insights from nature and establish production baselines, as profitability is intrinsically linked to the health of our natural resources.”
Fernández shared the process of implementing sustainable cattle ranching practices in the Colombian Orinoquia savannas over the past 25 years. A territory that shares similarities with the seasonally floodable savannas of the Llanos de Moxos in Bolivia.
In this context, she highlighted a comprehensive approach that has been developed over two decades, involving intensive work with local cattle ranchers. It focuses on improving governance, transforming conventional practices rooted in local culture towards more environmentally friendly methods, and reducing the negative impacts associated with livestock production.
Francisco Sandoval – Cattle rancher implementing sustainable practices in the Colombian savannas
“We have to work to achieve conservation through agreements with our neighbors and the support of institutions at both national and international levels. Collaboration is key to protecting our ecosystems and safeguarding biodiversity,” commented Francisco Alberto Sandoval Rodríguez, cattle rancher and veterinary from Casanare, Colombia, and founder of the Reserva Fundo Raudal de Flor Amarillo (Area of Interest for the Conservation of Birds and Biodiversity).
The sustainable ranching expert encouraged Beni cattle ranchers to take advantage of the opportunity to collaborate with environmental organizations to jointly achieve certification. “With our sustainable form of cattle ranching, we prioritize consumer health offering products free of hormones and antibiotics while we are conserving biodiversity. It’s important for consumers to know that if they pay a little more for this sustainable product, they are not affecting the deforestation of rainforests, but are actually supporting the protection of grasslands and their biodiversity.”
He also emphasized diversification of income sources as an essential element for sustainability. “Not all our income has to come exclusively from livestock farming. Let’s explore alternatives such as ecotourism, carbon credits from maintaining natural grasslands and our marshes, and food diversification to complement our income and reduce our dependence on external inputs,” Fransisco explained.
Nicolas Marchand: Pioneer in the creation of Sustainable Ranching Alliances
“Our primary goal in conserving grasslands is to ensure cattle ranchers maintaining to be livestock managers. We aim to collaboratively develop strategies and provide ranchers benefits, tools to improve their competitivity, and helping them to become increasingly more efficient within the ecological and environmental framework,” emphasized Nicolas Marchand, a passionate Uruguayan biologist working as Ranching & Shorebird Conservation Specialist for Manomet and one of the early coordinators of the Alianza del Pastizal in the Southern Cone.
Throughout his career, Marchand has been involved in innovative initiatives such as the Responsible Production Project, a program of the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries of Uruguay, where he worked diligently for seven years to incorporate biodiversity into agricultural production. He carried out tasks ranging from developing water supply systems for livestock and irrigation for strategic forage production to implementing silvopastoral systems for integrated cattle management in natural montane landscapes.
Currently, Marchand is working as Ranching & Shorebird Conservation Specialist for Manomet connecting countries throughout South America, helping in the development of sustainable production systems in natural grassland, including Armonia in Bolivia. Important experiences were gained during the creation of the Grassland Alliance in 2005 (Alianza del Pastizal), where Marchand assumed the role as coordinator. With a specific focus on natural grasslands, the alliance sought to maximize impact in these crucial biodiversity-rich environment through the implementation of sustainable and compatible production models. Reflecting on those times, Marchand remarked, “I see that in the Beni savanna, there is already a willingness to initiate that alliance, to work together between producers and conservationists. There was a very positive atmosphere.”
Text and photos: Margarita Palacios, Armonía.