Building a Regional Approach to Sustainable Cattle Farming: A First Experience in the Southern Cone and Bolivia

The report presents the results of the first year of operation of the Sustainable Cattle Platform of the Americas, a joint initiative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), initially focused on Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Based on reviews, interviews, surveys, and workshops involving more than 200 professionals from the region, it analyzes the sustainability of cattle production systems from productive, economic, social, and environmental perspectives. The study includes a regional conceptualization and mapping of sustainable livestock initiatives; a review of the state of science and technology concerning carbon balance, water balance, biodiversity, and animal welfare; identification of scientific and technological gaps and demands; a proposed indicator framework for assessing livestock sustainability; and an analysis of the situation, research demands, and priorities associated with national greenhouse gas inventories. The report contributes to knowledge generation and exchange and to regional cooperation aimed at advancing more sustainable livestock systems.