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Latin America

Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture

PROPORCIONAR AGUA Y ALIMENTOS DE FORMA SOSTENIBLE
Yucatan, Mexico Aerial views of Jose Palomo's Los Potrillos ranch in Becanchen. Palomo has adopted “silvopastoral” ranch practices. © Erich Schlegel

Considering the current state and importance of Latin America, our strategy focuses on the transformation of agricultural landscapes.

Regenerative agricultural systems seek to improve the natural conditions while ensuring water and food supply for the population, generating benefits such as greater climate resilience of ecosystems, an increase and greater conservation of biodiversity and natural resources and higher productivity.

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Discover how our strategy works

 

Why do we work here?

In Latin America, we want to create a sustainable future for our planet through regenerative production systems, where nature and science come together. This important region features:

  • 16%

    of the Earth’s Surface

  • 25%

    of the world’s forests

  • 25%

    of global exports (agricultural and fish products)

  • 30%

    of the planet’s freshwater

  • 40%

    of the world’s biodiversity

Together with partners and donors, we seek to face current agricultural challenges, protecting ecosystems, regenerating their resources and building resilience.

 

Latin America is one of the most important regions globally in terms of food security. Learn how we transform production systems in this region:

El Chaco
Se promueve un cambio sistémico a la agricultura de conservación, con implementación de prácticas agrícolas y ganaderas regenerativas y políticas y modelos de negocio sostenibles
Patagonia
Busca revertir la desertificación y restaurar los pastizales, fomentando prácticas regenerativas y servidumbres de conservación con la finca demostrativa de Fortin/Chacabuco
Araguaia River Basin
Promueve buenas prácticas agrícolas en cultivos anuales e intensivos, manejo eficiente del agua, diversificación del uso de la tierra y restauración de áreas degradadas
Orinoquia
Apoyo en la implementación de un Pacto de Desarrollo Sostenible y promoción de paisajes productivos con prácticas sostenibles en tierras degradadas y la conservación de áreas clave
Colombia
Financiación y asistencia técnica para aumentar la productividad del ganado e ingresos. Disminuir el impacto ambiental con sistemas silvopastoriles y conservación de ecositemas
Chiapas
Busca detener la deforestación, causada por la ganadería y agricultura convencional, utilizando sistemas sostenibles y restaurando la cubierta forestal con árboles nativos
Guatemala
Soluciones innovadoras para la producción sostenible de frutas/verduras con tecnologías para que pequeños productores protejan el suelo y el agua y mejoren la seguridad alimentaria
ResCA
Este proyecto desarrolla la agricultura y ganadera regenerativa y crea resiliencia al cambio climático, conservando ambientes naturales y fortaleciendo las economías locales

Why R2A?

Today’s agricultural and ranching production systems, seeking to expand and have outstanding yields, consume 70% of freshwater and cause 70% of habitat conversion in Latin America.

Current farming and ranching practices consume 70% of freshwater resources and cause 70% of habitat conversion in the region. Nearly half of Latin America’s total land surface has some level of degradation, and deforestation is now three times the global rate, making agriculture the leading contributor to gas emissions in Latin America. Conventional agricultural practices, seeking to expand and increase their yield, have damaged the natural capital on which the agricultural success of the region depends, jeopardizing its exceptional potential to continue to contribute to global food production.

Sustainable and scalable solutions

  • Scaled design - shift from local successes to broader regional systems.
  • Avoid unintended consequences - stay focused on long-term profits, not just quick solutions.
  • Appropriate feedback loops - Avoid turning yesterday’s solutions into tomorrow’s problems.
  • Avoid turning yesterday’s solutions into tomorrow’s problems - focus on drivers to accelerate solutions.

 

THROUGH NATURE:

  • Ecological systems and processes are maintained and restored throughout the region.
  • Biodiversity is restored and protected in agricultural landscapes. Avoid unintended consequences – keep the focus on long-term profits, not just quick solutions. Correct feedback cycles – avoid turning yesterday’s solutions into tomorrow’s problems.

For agriculture:

  • Yields increase with fewer inputs, generating healthier soils, using less water and benefiting ecosystem services. Producers endure climate change shocks and market fluctuations.

  • Agricultural businesses transition from being product suppliers to being service providers with shared benefits in environmental and social terms.

People:

  • Rural communities improve livelihoods through cleaner water, stable income, resilient production systems and better access to markets.

Strategy

Our strategy is committed to improving production systems and ecosystem services in the Latin American region.

Through this, we aim to generate resilience and socio-economic development, better ecosystem conditions, greater carbon sequestration in the soil and greater stability and resilience for agricultural productivity and value chains, through a systemic and comprehensive effort based on natural climate solutions. 

With our strategy, we week to implement regenerative ranching and agriculture practices to restore production areas in Latin America.

Our projects demonstrate the importance of scaling impacts that drive transformation in markets, productivity, environmental, social and economic conditions.

SCALED APPROACH

Considering the principles of our strategy and synergistic interventions, we seek to implement regenerative practices to create positive impacts on nature, the agricultural sector and people.

 

We aim to scale these impacts and ensure they last in the long-term. That’s why we focus interventions on action landscapes: implementing, evaluating and generating successful cases alongside key partners, to replicate these projects and contribute to the transformation of the agricultural sector and ecosystems in Latin America. 

Ranching and Agriculture (R2A) program, more than 4,000 ranchers have been able to restore habitat while increasing land productivity. They’ve planted 3.5M trees to date.
Colombia Through TNC’s Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture (R2A) program, more than 4,000 producers have been able to restore habitats while increasing soil productivity. To date, they have planted 3.5 million trees. © Juan Arredondo

In addition, our strategy is supported by the Ecosystem-based Adaptation criterion, helping communities and individuals adapt and cope with climate change, motivating the sustainable use of ecosystem resources that are restored and preserved, and supporting equitable governance through multi-level policy support.

Goals of our strategy

Today, our strategy has achieved 45% of its 5-year impact targets across 7 action landscapes:

  • 5,100 hectares

    of agricultural areas with improved productivity

  • 2.1 million hectares

    of agricultural areas with improved management

  • 0.55 GT eCO2 / 10 years

    GHG mitigation (reduced emissions or increased sequestration)

Projection of our strategy

R2A Phases

R2A

Learn how we plan our strategy over time

Este predio ganadero en Quindío, Colombia, divide sus áreas con cercas vivas, planificando el suelo que aprovechará de manera responsable. Imagen de dron de monitoreo.
Cercas vivas (cenital) Este predio ganadero en Quindío, Colombia, divide sus áreas con cercas vivas, planificando el suelo que aprovechará de manera responsable. Imagen de dron de monitoreo. © TNC Colombia
Pará, Brasil. Fernando Pallaro é um dos produtores de soja que trabalham com a TNC em Santarém, no estado do Pará, Brasil. © Palani Mohan/Cargill Inc.
PHASE 0

Strategy Design: Project criteria are defined, the strategy’s methodological framework is improved, and metrics are developed.

Gran Chaco, Argentina Atardecer en el Gran Chaco Argentina © Ezequiel Garcia
PHASE 1

R2A strategy prototypes and refinement: Interventions and pilot platforms are developed with producers, companies, governments and partnerships in 8 action landscapes and over 2 million hectares.

OPTIS The Operational Tillage Information System uses remote-sensing data to monitor trends in adoption rate of soil health practices each year across the U.S. Corn Belt © Jason Johnson, USDA NRCS
PHASE 2

R2A operation and expansion: A regional proposal is designed to expand our strategy across 6 action landscapes and over 3 million hectares, considering current global experiences, prototypes and conditions.

Healthy agricultural systems optimize natural ecosystems to restore the health of agricultural lands and hence their capacity to increase production. © Ganadería Colombiana Sostenible
PHASE 3

Full scale of R2A: Raising awareness of the connection between agriculture and nature through R2A interventions and platforms with producers, companies, governments, associations and others.

About us

The R2A strategy was consolidated in 2016 to work collaboratively with partners and key stakeholders in the development of synergistic interventions that achieve market transformations, considering the agriculture sector´s rules, business models and environmental regulations, through the continuous improvement of regenerative ranching and agriculture, reducing the impact on nature and strengthening the well-being of humans and communities.

Our Partners

 

 

WHAT IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TRANSFORMATION WITH R2A?

Latin America is a key region for food conservation and security worldwide, but conventional production systems affect the natural resources it depends on. We hope Latin America improves the health of its resources and ensures current food demands, generating benefits for people, nature, and the agricultural sector.

Scalability is key to achieving our goal of transforming productive farming systems in Latin America, with nature-based solutions and regenerative practices that are resilient to climate change.

Colombia
LIVESTOCK Colombia´s Sustainable Ranching Project © TNC

In Colombia, the GCS project, of which TNC is a partner, broadly applies principles of regenerative ranching and agroecology, transforming more than 42 thousand hectares of land into diverse forest-pasture systems.

Atardecer en el Gran Chaco Argentina
GRAN CHACO, ARGENTINA Sunset in Argentina’s Gran Chaco © Ezequiel Garcia

In Argentina’s Gran Chaco region, TNC, along with partners and local allies protects nearly 500 thousand hectares of land through a collaboration platform, minimizing the loss of habitats and deforested areas to agriculture and ranching in the region. 

Our Team

  • Mauricio Castro Schmitz

    Director of the Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture (R2A) Strategy for Latin America View bio

  • Pilar Lozano

    Deputy and Science Lead for the Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EbA) program within the Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture (R2A) strategy for Latin America View bio

  • Alicia Calle

    Advisor for the Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture (R2A) strategy for Latin America View bio

  • Especialista en Mercados y Agricultura Regenerativa para América Latina

    Pedro Castro

    Regenerative Agriculture and Market Specialist for Latin America View bio

  • Paula Casadei

    Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of the Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture (R2A) strategy for Latin America View bio

  • Valentina Joya

    Junior Conservation Associate of the Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture (R2A) strategy for Latin America View bio

  • Julieta Clemente Mignone

    Technical Analyst of the Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EbA) program within the Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture (R2A) strategy for Latin America View bio

  • Angélica Polanco

    Operations Specialist for the Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture (R2A) Program for Latin America View bio

  • AndresZ

    Andres Zuluaga

    NASCA Region Conservation Director View bio

  • Especialista de Paisajes Productivos Sostenibles para NASCA

    América Melo

    Sustainable Productive Landscape Specialist for NASCA View bio

  • Javier Beltrán

    Javier Beltrán

    Argentina Conservation Director View bio

  • Alejandro Hernández

    Alejandro Hernández

    Program Manager Chiapas Program Mexico and North Central America (MNCA) View bio

  • Julia Mangueira

    Julia Mangueira

    Deputy Director of Sustainable Agriculture in Brazil View bio

  • Especialista en Agricultura y Ganadería Sostenible para México y Centroamérica

    Seki Cinco Martínez

    Sustainable Ranching and Agriculture Specialist for Mexico View bio

  • Gustavo Marino

    Regenerative Agronomist (R2A) in Argentina View bio

  • Elisa Carrión Narváez

    Forest and Climate Change Specialist in Argentina View bio

  • Líder del Programa de Territorios Sostenible en México

    Sofía García

    Sustainable Territory Program Leader in Mexico View bio

  • Coordinador de la Estrategia de Paisajes Sostenibles en Ecuador - Sustainable Landscapes Strategy Coordinator in Ecuador

    Marco Robles

    Coordinator of the Sustainable Landscape Strategy in Ecuador View bio

Here are some examples of how R2A seeks to transform today’s production systems in Latin America

With long-term and large-scale impacts

Participate

Growing global agricultural demand in the context of climate change will increase the challenges this sector presents in Latin America.

For this reason, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), under the R2A strategy, promotes science-based practices, methods, and policies that increase agricultural productivity and protect environmental resources and services, generating more productive agricultural systems with increased resilience to climate change.

Why action landscapes?

Action landscapes in Latin America were determined from a spatial analysis conducted between 2017 and 2018 by a consortium of scientific institutions, which indicated the areas with the greatest potential for the strategy´s implementation and a greater impact on nature, the agricultural sector and individuals.

The action landscapes were selected under the following criteria: areas where the greatest yield and production efficiency can be achieved at present and in a climate change landscape in 2030; identifying land degraded by crop management and grazing; establishing landscapes where restoration can improve agricultural production.

Edilson Ortiz Arango (61) with his herds or moves his cattle to be milked every morning. Edilson owns 12 cows that on average they make 20 liters that he sells for COP$ 900 per liter (USD $0.30). Edilson and his family of seven were displaced from Vista Hermosa, Meta in 1999 when the Colombian Government and FARC were undergoing peace negotiations and agreed to create a demilitarized zone in the region. FARC started to visit Edilson’s farm and he fear for his safety and of that of his family and left his farm and moved to Bogota. As part of reparation program for internally displaced victims in 2004. Edilson joined the Sustainable ranching program where he has been adopting sustainable practices to increase production, profits and climate changing patterns.
San Martin, Meta, Colombia. Edilson Ortiz Arango (61) with his herds or moves his cattle to be milked every morning. Edilson owns 12 cows that on average they make 20 liters that he sells for COP$ 900 per liter (USD $0.30). Edilson and his family of seven were displaced from Vista Hermosa, Meta in 1999 when the Colombian Government and FARC were undergoing peace negotiations and agreed to create a demilitarized zone in the region. FARC started to visit Edilson’s farm and he fear for his safety and of that of his family and left his farm and moved to Bogota. As part of reparation program for internally displaced victims in 2004. Edilson joined the Sustainable ranching program where he has been adopting sustainable practices to increase production, profits and climate changing patterns. © Juan Arredondo for The Nature Conservancy.

Program Overview

Story Map

TNC believes in agriculture as part of the solution. R2A proposes to improve production systems by protecting and regenerating ecosystem resources.

LEARN MORE ABOUT R2A
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Field Work

La ganadería tradicional transforma bosque para pastorear. No considera los beneficios de la naturaleza para su finca y es un problema estructural ligado a diversos factores.

Colombia

In the Colombian plains, we implemented forest-pasture systems and sustainable practices at landscape level

Agricultural expansion and intensification threaten South America's largest tropical dry forest.

Argentina

For the soybean production system, we promote the adoption of best practices to regenerate soil health

Imagem aérea de produção de soja no Cerrado do Mato Grosso.

Brazil

In the states of Maranhão, Mato Grosso and Goiás we promote the integration of large-scale forest-pasture systems

Chiapas

Mesoamerican Corridor

In Chiapas, we developed agroforestry practices and forest-pasture systems, improving productivity at the farm level

Colombia´s Sustainable Ranching 

Sustainable ranching motivates conservation

Blanca Raquel August 13, 2018. Meyer, Meta, Colombia. Blanca Raquel Guerrero (52) stands un one of the first trees she planted in her farm as part of This is part of silvopastoral systems, forage banks and living fences made up of native species that provide shelter for wildlife and in many cases help connect forest patches to protected areas, serving as wildlife corridors. Ms. Guerrero helped implement many of the sustainable practices on the farms of its members. Ms. Guerrero was displaced from Vista Hermosa, Meta in 2000 after FARC gain control of the territory as she was accused of being an informant and assisting the Colombian Army. She arrived to San Martin with her six children and began to work for the property rights of internally displaced peasants. She was on the first members to join and help promote Sustainable ranching program in her farm. © Juan Arredondo for The Nature Conservancy.

There is not a single human being who does not need us farmers

Blanca Raquel

Chair of Asogranja, in San Martin, Meta

I have received payments for live fences, forest and scattered trees, I am a very happy sustainable rancher

Mercedes Murillo

Beneficiary of the Sustainable Colombian Livestock project
Mercedes Murillo August 9, 2018. San Martin, Meta, Colombia. Mercedes Murillo (62) cuts a patch of Gmelina arborea that provide timer for making fences or furniture as well as a high source of protein for cattle. Mercedes fled with her four children from the town of Manacal, Meta, after FARC sieged the town killing several civilians. Mercedes fear that her 14-year-old son was going to be recruited and decided to flee the town with her four children leaving her house and store behind. As part of reparation program for internally displaced victims in 2004 she was given a 20-acre farm. Mercedes joined the Sustainable ranching program where he has been adopting sustainable practices to increase production, profits and climate changing patterns. © Juan Arredondo for The Nature Conservancy.
Roxana Adames August 11, 2018. San Martin, Meta, Colombia. Rosana Adamez Hernandez (58) with her husband Edilson Ortiz Arango (61) who have been married for 25 years. She and Edilson with their children were displaced from Vista Hermosa, Meta in 1999 when the Colombian Government and FARC were undergoing peace negotiations and agreed to create a demilitarized zone in the region. FARC started to visit Edilson’s farm and he fear for his safety and of that of his family and left his farm and moved to Bogota. As part of reparation program for internally displaced victims in 2004. Edilson joined the Sustainable ranching program where he has been adopting sustainable practices to increase production, profits and climate changing patterns. © Juan Arredondo for The Nature Conservancy.

The weather has changed a lot, so trees have to be planted in order to retain more moisture in the soil and provide more shade

Roxana Adames

Livestock farmer, San Martín, Meta

Terms of Reference

  • Consultancy

    Development of diagnostic studies for the implementation of EbA practices in regenerative agricultural systems in Peru

    DOWNLOAD

  • Consultancy

    Analysis of variation in mammals and birds in farming systems in the Chaco region

    DOWNLOAD

  • Consultancy

    Consultancy for the initiation phase of the Collaborative Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture in the Argentine Gran Chaco

    DOWNLOAD

  • Consultancy

    Characterization of regenerative models in the Gran Chaco Food Landscape using ecosystem services analysis.

    DOWNLOAD

R2A projects its efforts with a basis on science, identifying in a timely manner the needs for improvement in each Latin American region.

This allows us to make better decisions and ensure our purpose to generate scalable and lasting impacts over time. You can read more about the projects we carry out in Latin America and our achievements.

R2A materials

  • cover

    R2A Conceptual Framework

    DOWNLOAD
  • Colombia

    Regenerative Practices

    Sugarcane farming

    From a comparison between conventional and regenerative productive practices, we can achieve significant environmental impacts, especially increasing carbon sequestration in the Cauca Valley, Colombia.

    DOWNLOAD

  • The R2A strategy

    Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture

    Learn how we work on R2A, our theory of change and how we apply our strategic framework to achieve comprehensive and synergistic work. Learn about our projects and the results achieved within LAR with our scalable approach.

    DOWNLOAD

  • Description of our R2A strategy

    Learn how regenerative ranching and agriculture in Latin America can protect nature and ensure the planet’s food security, generating sustainable solutions for nature, agriculture and people.

    DOWNLOAD

  • Our Action Landscapes in Latin America

    Storymap

    The Nature Conservancy (TNC) believes that agriculture can be part of the solution, and our goal in R2A is to promote practices, methods and policies that increase agricultural productivity while improving ecosystem resources

    DOWNLOAD

  • The R2A strategy, our principles

    Interactive Infographic

    In R2A, together with synergistic interventions and comprehensive work to improve agricultural productivity and ecosystem resources in Latin America, principles such as shared responsibility and continuous improvement help us stay on track to achieve impacts at a larger scale.

    DOWNLOAD

Other resources


R2A and water funds in the Cauca Valley: 

Learn about the positive impacts of the potential integration of these strategies by The Nature Conservancy  •  FDA and R2A in the Valley (infographic)

 

Agroindustrial sugarcane production in the Cauca Valley

Learn about the crop production methods in this region and their potential impacts under regenerative production practices   •  Sustainable sugarcane prouction in the Cauca Valley, Colombia  (two-pager) 

 

R2A in the field: Chiapas (Mexico)

 

R2A in the field: Brasil 

Learn how the R2A strategy is implemented in the field for sustainable livestock production •   (infographic) 

 

R2A in the field: Argentina

Learn how the R2A strategy is implemented in the field for large-scale soy production • (infographic)

 

R2A in the field: Colombia 

Learn how the R2A strategy is implemented in the field for the sustainable ranching sector •   (infographic) 

 

The Action Landscapes of the R2A Strategy

Read the full study for the selection of Action Landscapes in Latin America towards the implementation of our strategy. • Action Landscapes for Advancing The Nature Conservancy’s Healthy Agricultural Systems Strategy in Latin America 

 

Landscapes Action Brief

Healthy Agricultural Systems Latin America Action Landscapes. • (English)

 

Regenerative Agriculture Brief

Regenerative Ranching and Agriculture Practices • (Spanish)

 

Healthy Soils

Chiapas • (Infographic)

 

MBGI and EbA 

Argentina • (Infographic)

 

Soil Incineration

Chiapas • (Infographic)

 

Soil Recovery - Corn Farming

Chiapas • (Infographic)

 

Forests, Coffee and the People of Guatemala

Guatemala • (Spanish) (English)

Videos

CURRENT SITUATION IN LATIN AMERICA Latin America can become a sustainable powerhouse and an example of agriculture and environmental management globally
IMPORTANCE OF R2A IN LATIN AMERICA Find out why we work in Latin America
REGENERATIVE PRACTICES IN SUGARCANE CULTIVATION In the Colombian Cauca Valley, sugarcane is more than just a crop.
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