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The sustainable transformation of the Colombian cattle sector: Assessing its circularity

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Title The sustainable transformation of the Colombian cattle sector: Assessing its circularity
 
Creator Parodi, Alejandro
Valencia-Salazar, Sara
Loboguerrero, Ana María
Martínez Barón, Deissy
Murgueitio, Enrique
Vázquez-Rowe, Ian
 
Subject livestock
circular economy
sustainable development
food systems
ganado
economía circular
desarrollo sostenible
 
Description Circular food systems are increasingly acknowledged for their potential to contribute to the transition towards sustainable futures. In a circular food system, the use of finite and limited resources is minimized, and nutrients in residual streams and inedible biomass for humans are reused as inputs in the bioeconomy. Livestock has become relevant in this narrative for upcycling nutrients contained in food by-products and grass resources into nutritious food for humans without using human-edible resources. Evaluating on-going national sustainability initiatives in the livestock sector is key to determine if circularity elements are already represented and to identify new opportunities and pathways for the future. In this paper we synthetize the environmental actions promoted by different initiatives driving the sustainable transformation of Colombian cattle production systems and assess the inclusion of circularity elements in these actions. The proposed environmental actions were concentrated in the conservation of remaining natural ecosystems, zero-deforestation and the sustainable intensification of cattle production through silvopastoral and paddock rotational systems. Circularity was addressed by some initiatives via the use organic fertilizers and the use of manure as fertilizers or feedstock for bioenergy generation. However, given that cattle farming is often practiced in low-input systems where the collection of by-products for reutilization (e.g., manure) is not always feasible, these actions are expected to have limited impact in the sector. Silvopastoral systems can positively promote circularity by creating the conditions for internal nutrient recycling via litterfall, biological nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, and presence of beneficial insects. However, to avoid food-feed competition and to remain circular, these should only be installed in agricultural areas unsuitable for crop production. In areas where crops can grow, other production systems that prioritize the production of plant biomass for human consumption (i.e., agrosilvopastoral systems, mixed crop-livestock systems or forms of crop intercropping) should be considered.
 
Date 2022-10-12
2022-10-20T11:03:31Z
2022-10-20T11:03:31Z
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Parodi, A.; Valencia-Salazar, S.; Loboguerrero, A.M.; Martínez-Barón, D.; Murgueitio, E.; Vázquez-Rowe, I. (2022) The sustainable transformation of the Colombian cattle sector: Assessing its circularity. PLOS Climate 1(10): e0000074 ISSN: 2767-3200
2767-3200
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/125132
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000074
 
Language en
 
Rights CC-BY-4.0
Open Access
 
Format 15 p.
application/pdf
 
Publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
 
Source PLOS Climate