Theme 25: Dynamics of Land Use in Grasslands

Description

The objective of the paper is to briefly review the main trends in the tropical lowlands of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with particular emphasis in the neotropical savannas. These tropical native grasslands cover occupy approximately 210 million hectares, and constitute major portions of the territory of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana and Venezuela. Many analysts consider that intensification of their use is a valid alternative to the expansion of the livestock and crop industries into the rainforest.

The evidence reviewed shows that since the late 1980s, the LAC agricultural sector has shown dynamism not seen for many years. Despite a decreasing contribution to GDP, the sector in general grew at a rate of 2.9% per annum during the period 1990-95, with large betweencountries differences. Yields increased at an average rate of 3.3% per year, compared with only 1.3% per year in the 1980’s, with a simultaneous decrease of 2.2% per year in the agricultural area. There is ample evidence of agricultural intensification and modernization, largely driven by macroeconomic policies widely adopted in the region. Commodities produced by the region diversified, most notably through the production and export of fruits and vegetables, closely followed by oilseeds.Cattle-based production systems continued to be the dominant feature of the region on an area basis, since the ratio of land occupied by cattle to that of croplands is approximately 4:1. Nevertheless, there has been marked substitution of native grasslands with a narrow range of annual crops and sown pastures, so that plant biodiversity and the survival of many potentially valuable species are threatened.

These shifts in land use systems have been accompanied by a marked and continued rate of urbanization. At the same time, there is increasing evidence of close ties between urban and rural employment and urban residence. Similarly, an increasing proportion of rural dwellers works in urban settings. It is therefore hypothesized that these interactions have an important bearing on issues such as the development of new ethical and cultural values regarding natural resources, on technology adoption, and on the need for continued changes and adaptations in the institutions that serve the sector.

It is finally concluded that despite a somewhat chaotic process of change and experimentation with new systems, superimposed on long-term trends of resources degradation, there is reason to hope that at least in some countries and areas within countries the ongoing changes are leading to more resource-friendly agricultural systems. Nevertheless, reconciling intensifed grazing systems with natural resources cconservation and enhancement continues to be a major challenge.

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The Future for Savanna and Tropical Grasslands: A Latin American Perspective

The objective of the paper is to briefly review the main trends in the tropical lowlands of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with particular emphasis in the neotropical savannas. These tropical native grasslands cover occupy approximately 210 million hectares, and constitute major portions of the territory of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana and Venezuela. Many analysts consider that intensification of their use is a valid alternative to the expansion of the livestock and crop industries into the rainforest.

The evidence reviewed shows that since the late 1980s, the LAC agricultural sector has shown dynamism not seen for many years. Despite a decreasing contribution to GDP, the sector in general grew at a rate of 2.9% per annum during the period 1990-95, with large betweencountries differences. Yields increased at an average rate of 3.3% per year, compared with only 1.3% per year in the 1980’s, with a simultaneous decrease of 2.2% per year in the agricultural area. There is ample evidence of agricultural intensification and modernization, largely driven by macroeconomic policies widely adopted in the region. Commodities produced by the region diversified, most notably through the production and export of fruits and vegetables, closely followed by oilseeds.Cattle-based production systems continued to be the dominant feature of the region on an area basis, since the ratio of land occupied by cattle to that of croplands is approximately 4:1. Nevertheless, there has been marked substitution of native grasslands with a narrow range of annual crops and sown pastures, so that plant biodiversity and the survival of many potentially valuable species are threatened.

These shifts in land use systems have been accompanied by a marked and continued rate of urbanization. At the same time, there is increasing evidence of close ties between urban and rural employment and urban residence. Similarly, an increasing proportion of rural dwellers works in urban settings. It is therefore hypothesized that these interactions have an important bearing on issues such as the development of new ethical and cultural values regarding natural resources, on technology adoption, and on the need for continued changes and adaptations in the institutions that serve the sector.

It is finally concluded that despite a somewhat chaotic process of change and experimentation with new systems, superimposed on long-term trends of resources degradation, there is reason to hope that at least in some countries and areas within countries the ongoing changes are leading to more resource-friendly agricultural systems. Nevertheless, reconciling intensifed grazing systems with natural resources cconservation and enhancement continues to be a major challenge.