Promoting sustainable livestock farming, compatible with conservation, based on market mechanisms of financial incentives, is one of the strategies of the Program for the Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Moxos Plains. The presentation of this document took place on October 19th at the Autonomous University of Beni.
Asociación Armonía is one of the eight organizations that make up the Working Group for the Moxos Plains. Among the sustainability projects it is currently undertaking is its contribution to this alliance with information about the Sustainable Livestock Farming Program in the Barba Azul Nature Reserve. This program focuses on implementing productive systems that are compatible with ecosystem conservation and species such as the Blue-throated Macaw, with the aim of generating and systematizing experiences of sustainable livestock farming in the Moxos Plains.
Marlene Barral, a specialist in landscape-scale sustainable livestock farming at Asociación Armonía, provided information during the program presentation regarding the actions that Armonía is implementing in 2023. These actions were identified as priorities in a study conducted by Armonía on the value chain of livestock farming in the Moxos Plains in 2022. One of them is the environmental impact assessment of native grassland burning for livestock production in Beni, which will provide critical information about ecological impacts, identify possible mitigation measures, and recommend sustainable alternatives.
“Simultaneously, a participatory proposal for a Sustainable Livestock Model in Beni is being developed. We are also conducting a market study related to the differentiation attributes that should be applied to meat from a sustainable management system,” Barral explained. This market study and certification for meat produced in sustainable Beni systems aims to collect reliable and up-to-date data to assess the potential demand, market opportunities, and consumer preferences in the central axis of Bolivia.
Barral also added that an analysis of possible certification schemes, both national and international, that can be implemented on sustainably managed livestock estates in Beni is being carried out. “This should involve an economic benefit for livestock producers to encourage them to transition from their traditional livestock management systems,” Barral specified.
Photo: Marlene Barral, a specialist in landscape-scale sustainable livestock farming at Asociación Armonía, during the presentation of the PCDSLM. Marton Hardy, WCS.
Regarding the Program for the Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Moxos Plains
The Program is based on a biocultural approach that encompasses ecological, cultural, historical, and economic dimensions, considering territorial management as a key element to promote conservation and sustainable development. The program is divided into two parts: the first provides detailed information about the Moxos Plains and its conservation challenges, and the second establishes a conceptual framework and areas of intervention.
• Link to download the PCDSLM:
• Link to download the Value Chain Study of Livestock Farming in the Moxos Plains: https://armoniabolivia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/01-Asociacion-Civil-Armonia_2022_Cadena-de-valor-de-la-ganaderia-LLanos-de-Moxos_Final.pdf
The program was developed by 19 experts from various institutions with the aim of guiding the research guidelines and actions of the Working Group for the Moxos Plains (GTLM). This initiative is composed of WCS, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, CIBIOMA-UABJB, the University of Bonn, FAUNAGUA, the NatCap project at Stanford University, the Asociación Civil Armonía, and CIPCA. The purpose of this alliance is to generate and share reliable information about the natural, cultural, and economic heritage of the Moxos Plains, with the goal of contributing to the implementation of sustainable and inclusive development processes in the region based on conservation.
Cover photo: Ruben Layme