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Costs, Benefits and Challenges of Sustainable Livestock Intensification in a Major Deforestation Frontier in the Brazilian Amazon

Author

Listed:
  • Edenise Garcia

    (The Nature Conservancy, Belém 66035-115, Brazil)

  • Fábio Sampaio Vianna Ramos Filho

    (Agrosuisse, Rio de Janeiro 22270-010, Brazil)

  • Giovanni Matheus Mallmann

    (The Nature Conservancy, Belém 66035-115, Brazil)

  • Francisco Fonseca

    (The Nature Conservancy, Belém 66035-115, Brazil)

Abstract

Extensive livestock production is a major deforestation driver in the Brazilian Amazon. This study presents an assessment of the economic and environmental feasibility of sustainable livestock intensification in São Félix do Xingu municipality, a deforestation frontier with an area of more than 8.5 million hectares, and home to the largest cattle herd in Brazil. Proposed intensification was limited to approximately three animal units per hectare to avoid negative environmental impacts. Transition costs to sustainable cattle intensification were estimated for thirteen pilot farms taking into account adoption of good agriculture practices, pasture maintenance/restoration, and restoration of environmental liabilities. To move to sustainable intensification practices, a mean total annual investment of US$1335/ha ± US$619/ha would be necessary, varying from US$750 to US$2595/ha. Internal rate of return and net present value estimates indicated that the sustainable livestock intensification approach proposed was profitable in farms with more than 400 hectares of pastureland, but not in those where the pasture areas were smaller than 150 hectares. Livestock sustainable intensification also had the potential to promote social and environmental benefits, including a 54% increase in the number of contract workers, improvement of landowners’ managerial skills, and workers’ training, in addition to avoiding emission of 1.9 Mt CO 2 eq and sequestration of 0.36 Mt CO 2 eq. We conclude that the sustainable intensification of pasture areas has the potential to prevent further deforestation in the Amazon while generating social and other environmental benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Edenise Garcia & Fábio Sampaio Vianna Ramos Filho & Giovanni Matheus Mallmann & Francisco Fonseca, 2017. "Costs, Benefits and Challenges of Sustainable Livestock Intensification in a Major Deforestation Frontier in the Brazilian Amazon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:1:p:158-:d:88441
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Walker, Robert & Moran, Emilio & Anselin, Luc, 2000. "Deforestation and Cattle Ranching in the Brazilian Amazon: External Capital and Household Processes," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 683-699, April.
    2. Siegmund-Schultze, M. & Rischkowsky, B. & da Veiga, J.B. & King, J.M., 2007. "Cattle are cash generating assets for mixed smallholder farms in the Eastern Amazon," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 94(3), pages 738-749, June.
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    1. Stabile, Marcelo C.C. & Guimarães, André L. & Silva, Daniel S. & Ribeiro, Vivian & Macedo, Marcia N. & Coe, Michael T. & Pinto, Erika & Moutinho, Paulo & Alencar, Ane, 2020. "Solving Brazil's land use puzzle: Increasing production and slowing Amazon deforestation," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    2. P. P. Braga, Daniel & Pokorny, Benno & Porro, Roberto & Vidal, Edson, 2023. "Good life in the Amazon? A critical reflection on the standard of living of cocoa and cattle-based smallholders in Pará, Brazil," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    3. Ana Beatriz Santos & Marcos Heil Costa, 2018. "Do Large Slaughterhouses Promote Sustainable Intensification of Cattle Ranching in Amazonia and the Cerrado?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-28, September.
    4. Neli Aparecida de Mello-Théry & Eduardo de Lima Caldas & Beatriz M. Funatsu & Damien Arvor & Vincent Dubreuil, 2020. "Climate Change and Public Policies in the Brazilian Amazon State of Mato Grosso: Perceptions and Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-20, June.
    5. Júlia Graziela da Silveira & Sílvio Nolasco de Oliveira Neto & Ana Carolina Barbosa do Canto & Fernanda Figueiredo Granja Dorilêo Leite & Fernanda Reis Cordeiro & Luís Tadeu Assad & Gabriela Cristina , 2022. "Land Use, Land Cover Change and Sustainable Intensification of Agriculture and Livestock in the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-23, February.
    6. René Poccard-Chapuis & Sophie Plassin & Reinis Osis & Daniel Pinillos & Gustavo Martinez Pimentel & Marcelo Cordeiro Thalês & François Laurent & Mario Rodrigo de Oliveira Gomes & Laura Angelica Ferrei, 2021. "Mapping Land Suitability to Guide Landscape Restoration in the Amazon," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-24, April.
    7. Margaret Kalacska & Oliver Lucanus & Leandro Sousa & J. Pablo Arroyo-Mora, 2019. "A New Multi-Temporal Forest Cover Classification for the Xingu River Basin, Brazil," Data, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-8, August.
    8. Erasmus K.H.J. Zu Ermgassen & Melquesedek Pereira de Alcântara & Andrew Balmford & Luis Barioni & Francisco Beduschi Neto & Murilo M. F. Bettarello & Genivaldo De Brito & Gabriel C. Carrero & Eduardo , 2018. "Results from On-The-Ground Efforts to Promote Sustainable Cattle Ranching in the Brazilian Amazon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-26, April.
    9. Martinelli, Gabrielli do Carmo & Schlindwein, Madalena Maria & Padovan, Milton Parron & Gimenes, Régio Marcio Toesca, 2019. "Decreasing uncertainties and reversing paradigms on the economic performance of agroforestry systems in Brazil," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 274-286.
    10. Annalisa De Boni & Antonia D’Amico & Claudio Acciani & Rocco Roma, 2022. "Crop Diversification and Resilience of Drought-Resistant Species in Semi-Arid Areas: An Economic and Environmental Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-15, August.
    11. Maria Tsiouni & Stamatis Aggelopoulos & Alexandra Pavloudi & Dario Siggia, 2021. "Economic and Financial Sustainability Dependency on Subsidies: The Case of Goat Farms in Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-15, July.
    12. Amintas Brandão Jr. & Lisa Rausch & América Paz Durán & Ciniro Costa Jr. & Seth A. Spawn & Holly K. Gibbs, 2020. "Estimating the Potential for Conservation and Farming in the Amazon and Cerrado under Four Policy Scenarios," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-22, February.

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