Climate-smart livestock production and soil restoration

The project Climate-smart livestock production and soil restoration in Uruguayan grasslands, known as Livestock and Climate, demonstrated that it is possible to improve the productive, economic and environmental performance of livestock farming, even in a context of water deficit.

The initiative was financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP), with support from the Ministry of Environment and technical assistance from FAO. Field work was carried out by the National Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) and the Faculty of Agronomy of the University of the Republic.

Over three years of work, the project supported 60 family farms across four regions of the country, covering nearly 30 000 hectares, with technical assistance aimed at improving productive and environmental management.

Through a co-innovation approach between producers and technicians, the initiative promoted climate-smart livestock practices using low-cost, high-impact technologies. The process made it possible to redesign production systems, monitor physical, economic, environmental and social results, and generate information to support decision-making.

The final results showed a 28 percent increase in family net income, an average 8 percent increase in beef production and a 17 percent increase in sheep meat production. At the same time, greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 7 percent per hectare and by 18 percent per kilogram of meat produced.

The experience provided scientific evidence and concrete lessons to advance towards more sustainable, resilient and competitive livestock farming based on natural grasslands. Its results are a relevant input for the design of public policies, the fulfilment of national emission reduction commitments and the positioning of Uruguayan livestock production.

Links of interest:
Livestock and Climate – FAO Uruguay
Livestock and Climate – MGAP