Why such a tremendous Why such a tremendous expansion of cattle ranching expansion of cattle ranching

in the Amazon?in the Amazon?

The Eastern Brazilian Amazon case The Eastern Brazilian Amazon case (Para State)(Para State)

Jonas Bastos da Veiga (Embrapa Amazônia Oriental)Marie Gabrielle Piketty (CIRAD/USP_FEA/PROCAM)

Jean François Tourrand (CIRAD/UNB_CDS)René Poccard-Chapuis (CIRAD)

Ailce Margarida N. Alves (UFPA _Maraba)Marcelo Thales (MPEG)

Cattle ranching in the Cattle ranching in the AmazonAmazon

Livestock expansion as a major drive force of Livestock expansion as a major drive force of deforestation in several Amazon countriesdeforestation in several Amazon countries

Clear relationship between pasture management Clear relationship between pasture management pressure on forests?pressure on forests?

““Pecuarizacão” in the Brazilian Amazon and a record Pecuarizacão” in the Brazilian Amazon and a record expansion (90 %)expansion (90 %)

Not observed in Peru and EcuadorNot observed in Peru and Ecuador

Comparative study :Comparative study : What are common direct and underlying factors explaining What are common direct and underlying factors explaining

the expansion of cattle ranching in contrasting agro-the expansion of cattle ranching in contrasting agro-ecological and socio-economic contextsecological and socio-economic contexts

Cattle

Yes

No

Pasture Managt

Yes

No

Deforestation

Other activities

Decision 1:Why do farmers choose

cattle ranching?

Decision 2:Why do farmers

choose specific pasture management?

Decision 3:Why do farmers

deforest or not new areas?

Conceptual frameworkConceptual framework

cattle

Yes

No

Pasture MgtYes

No

Defor.

Other activities

Decision 1 Decision 2 Decision 3

“Proximate factors”

Local / regional underlying factors

National underlying factors

International underlying factors

Conceptual frameworkConceptual framework

MethodologyMethodology

Critical contexts analysis with particular emphasis on Critical contexts analysis with particular emphasis on livestock production and marketing chainslivestock production and marketing chains

Identification of critical landholder types and their key-Identification of critical landholder types and their key-informants to be surveyedinformants to be surveyed

““Interactive interview”Interactive interview”

Hypothesis: the key-informant knows better than the Hypothesis: the key-informant knows better than the interviewer the complexity / meaning of the situationinterviewer the complexity / meaning of the situation

Directed conversation based on semi-structured interviewDirected conversation based on semi-structured interview 3-5 researchers – interdisciplinary teams3-5 researchers – interdisciplinary teams Redundancy principleRedundancy principle Team work in recording and interpreting dataTeam work in recording and interpreting data

Critical contexts in the Critical contexts in the Eastern Brazilian AmazonEastern Brazilian Amazon

Uruará

Bragantina

Sul do Pará

Decision 1: Why do farmers Decision 1: Why do farmers choose cattle ranching?choose cattle ranching?

Fator

Impacto (freqüência, %)

+ Mercado para os produtos da pecuária 96 Potencial sócio-econômico 84

Mercados e

Cadeias produtivas

Falta de mercado para produtos agrícolas 46

Retorno seguro e rápido, apesar de pequeno 96 Boa poupança/liquidez 97 Boa renda do leite 64 Garantia para o banco 29

Micro - economia

Boa aplicação de recursos de outras fontes 27 Tradição pecuária ou agropecuária 79 Experiência na pecuária 77 Influência/pressão do grupo familiar 44 Posição social 40

Sócio- Cultural

Desejo de ser fazendeiro, mito do fazendeiro 36 Boas condições agro-ecológicas 83 Acesso à tecnologia pecuária 79 Técnica Sistema técnico eficiente 79 Financiamento para pecuária 64 Falta de incentivos para a agricultura 47 Falta de apoio técnico à agricultura 21

Políticas Públicas

Incentivos para a pecuária 19 Flexibilidade da pecuária 33 Estratégia de especulação-concentração fundiária 33 Ocupação/garantia da posse da terra 26 Pouca exigência e baixa qualidade da mão-de-obra 24

Fatores de

Produção Baixo preço da terra 17

Market and market chains Market and market chains

Strong market for livestock final products Strong market for livestock final products (meat and milk) (96%)(meat and milk) (96%) Livestock production and marketing chains in Livestock production and marketing chains in

the Para Statethe Para State

Weak market for other products (46%) Weak market for other products (46%) Perennial crops Perennial crops Transport (Transamazon)Transport (Transamazon)

MicroeconomicsMicroeconomics

Cattle returns are secure, even if they Cattle returns are secure, even if they remain small (96%)remain small (96%) Risk issue (demand, price, diseases ...) Risk issue (demand, price, diseases ...) → → Saving / liquidity (97%)Saving / liquidity (97%)

Good milk return (smallholders)Good milk return (smallholders)

Good investment for other income Good investment for other income sourcessources (investments from other sectors) (investments from other sectors)

Technical factors Technical factors

Good agro ecological condition Good agro ecological condition (83%)(83%) rain, no long dry season, no low temperature rain, no long dry season, no low temperature

=> good for forage production=> good for forage production

Efficiency of the available technology (79%)Efficiency of the available technology (79%) Braquiarão grass pasture (Brachiaria brizantha)Braquiarão grass pasture (Brachiaria brizantha)

Easy access to livestock technology (79%)Easy access to livestock technology (79%)

Socio-cultural factors Socio-cultural factors

Tradition and past experience in Tradition and past experience in cattle ranching (79%)cattle ranching (79%)

The “fazendeiro” myth and social The “fazendeiro” myth and social position issue less important that position issue less important that what was initially thoughtwhat was initially thought

Policy issues (1)Policy issues (1)

Cattle ranching security is a major determinant, Cattle ranching security is a major determinant, based on cattle production and marketing chains based on cattle production and marketing chains features features

This security does not exist for alternatives that may This security does not exist for alternatives that may increase income per hectare of cleared land (risk: price and increase income per hectare of cleared land (risk: price and yield fluctuations, no consolidated demand ...)yield fluctuations, no consolidated demand ...)

› › Policies aimed at reducing these risk may promote other land-Policies aimed at reducing these risk may promote other land-use alternatives: use alternatives: Price stabilizationPrice stabilizationFinancing local agro processing factoriesFinancing local agro processing factoriesTechnical assistance on the prevention of yield fluctuationsTechnical assistance on the prevention of yield fluctuations

Policy issues (2)Policy issues (2)

The Amazon, at least the Eastern part, The Amazon, at least the Eastern part, presents strong comparative advantage for presents strong comparative advantage for livestock among Brazilian regionslivestock among Brazilian regions

› › Without taking account for environmental Without taking account for environmental externalities, cattle ranching investment in Paexternalities, cattle ranching investment in Pará is completely rá is completely rational rational

How comparative advantages could be How comparative advantages could be maintained with less environmental maintained with less environmental externalities?externalities? Tree plantations in pasture systemsTree plantations in pasture systems Adding a value to products based on legal Adding a value to products based on legal

deforestation? (certification)deforestation? (certification)

Policy issues (3)Policy issues (3)

Cattle ranching and smallholdersCattle ranching and smallholders

Income security: milk and meatIncome security: milk and meat

However, it is hard to increase income without increasing the However, it is hard to increase income without increasing the property area (more deforestation) property area (more deforestation)

Which means that a “successful” smallholder may turn a Which means that a “successful” smallholder may turn a large landholder in the middle-long termlarge landholder in the middle-long term

› › Necessary to increase the value of small areas, keeping Necessary to increase the value of small areas, keeping the cattle ranching advantage (security):the cattle ranching advantage (security): Sylvo-pasture systemsSylvo-pasture systems Low impact logging of the forest reserves (common Low impact logging of the forest reserves (common

management)management) Financial compensation for forest reserve conservationFinancial compensation for forest reserve conservation

Policy issues (4)Policy issues (4)

Preconditions for any of these alternativesPreconditions for any of these alternatives

Land tenure regulationLand tenure regulation Good quality infrastructureGood quality infrastructure Experience or training of the actorsExperience or training of the actors

Conclusion for further research in Conclusion for further research in human dimensions linked with cattle human dimensions linked with cattle

ranchingranching

Socio-environmental certification of cattle Socio-environmental certification of cattle ranching (how to design and to develop)ranching (how to design and to develop)

Possible scenarios when foreign markets will be Possible scenarios when foreign markets will be opened to Amazon livestock productsopened to Amazon livestock products

How financial compensation should be designed to How financial compensation should be designed to promote forest conservation or systems with less promote forest conservation or systems with less environmental damage (ex: CDM, proambiente)? environmental damage (ex: CDM, proambiente)? How to match it with the farmer objectives and to How to match it with the farmer objectives and to avoid negative impacts on regional development? avoid negative impacts on regional development?