Cattle ranching in Brazil is a major cause of deforestation. But sustainable production chains could be within our reach.
Brazil has one of the greatest growth rates of beef production in the world according to recent research. As a result, up to 75% of deforestation in Brazil is related to expanding cattle ranches. Needless to say, as demand for meat products is steadily increasing, we urgently need to find ways to engage farmers in sustainable production instead of continuing in the same footsteps.
While livestock farming and oil palm plantations might produce the goods we want – meat, margarine, shampoo, lipstick and ice-cream – the trade-offs are a harsh reality with clear-cut forests and diminishing biodiversity. In addition, these activities, including production of bioenergy products, are also clashing with climate change mitigation goals. The bioenergy issue is still the elephant in the room as it is compromising food security and forest cover in the name of mitigation.
Read the full story by Cecilia Schubert on the CCAFS blog.
Photo: S. Kochanski
