ID: 945

Latin American Regenerative Ranching & Agriculture (R2A)

In Latin America, farming and ranching practices currently consume 70% of freshwater resources and cause 70% of the region's habitat conversion. Nearly half of Latin America's total land area has some level of degradation, and deforestation is now three times the global rate, making agriculture Latin America's leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Conventional agricultural practices, in search of expansion and high yield, have damaged the natural capital on which the region's agricultural success depends, jeopardizing its exceptional potential to continue contributing to world food production. The Latin America Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture (R2A) strategy exists to transition industry, government, and local producers and associations to a regenerative ranching and agriculture model that incorporates nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation at its core. Current effective projects have been based in Chiapas, Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil and Gran Chaco. In the Mexican state of Chiapas which holds about 30% of the country’s freshwater resources, the expansion of livestock and dairy production is accelerating land degradation and desertification. With the incorporation of R2A sustainable practices in dairy farming over 30,000 hectares, milk production has increased by up to 45%. Methane emissions were reduced by almost one third and 8,000 hectares of forests were protected from deforestation. Guatemala is Central America’s most diverse country. Poverty rates and chronic malnutrition are one of the highest in Latin America, representing 76% and 67% of the population, respectively. About 50% of Guatemala’s agricultural exports come from the Western Highlands of Guatemala, which is home to many indigenous communities. With the increasing severity of droughts, deforestation and soil loss, food and water security for over the 275,000 small-scale subsistence farmers in this region are in serious jeopardy. TNC is implementing R2A in this region with diverse partners to create a multi-sector compact that will transition the region to a climate resilient agricultural approach through three key pillars: policy strengthening and implementation; local and regional value chain linkages; and territorial landscape management planning. The Llanos Action Landscape covers the savanna biome in Colombia. In addition to dominating land use in the Llanos, conventional ranching covers on third of Colombian territory and is contributing to serious soil degradation. Through the R2A approach and collaboration between ranchers, the Sustainable Ranching project has transformed more sustainable ranching practices in more than 42,00 hectares of farmland, helping to eliminate 1.6 tons of CO2. In recent decades, the Cerrado biome in Brazil has been the center of the greatest agribusiness boom in the world, sourcing one-third of total soybean production to global markets. Soybean production in Brazil tripled between 2001-2017, which equates to 9.6 million hectares of soybean expansion. Such unprecedented growth has come at an enormous environmental cost. TNC in Brazil is working with local stakeholders and agribusiness to integrate the value of sustainable practices into supply chains. In the Argentine territory of the Gran Chaco, soybean agriculture accounts for half grain production and over half of the cropped area. Currently, TNC, partners, and local allies protect about 500,000 hectares of land through a collaboration platform to minimize habitat loss and deforestation in agriculture and ranching sectors. The specific focus of R2A, in the Gran Chaco will be targeting the two largest drivers of land change: soy farming and cattle ranching.

Planned actions

Protection of land/water

Management of land/water