Mauricio Sotelo-Cabrera; Juan Cardoso; Alejandro Montoya; Natalia Triana; Juan Gabriel Ortiz; Viviana Rivera; José Luis Urrea; Jacobo Arango 58th Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, July 10-14, Cartagena, Colombia

1. Silvopastoral Systems, working
with communities in the
Department of Caquetá
Mauricio Sotelo-Cabrera; Juan Cardoso; Alejandro
Montoya; Natalia Triana; Juan Gabriel Ortiz;
Viviana Rivera; José Luis Urrea; Jacobo Arango
July 12, 2022
58th Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical
Biology and Conservation, July 10-14, Cartagena, Colombia

2. Context and goals

3. Rutas PDET Program
A 4-year program funded by the European Union through the European Fund for Peace,
Led by the National Government with the purpose of Consolidate cocoa and dairy value
chains in the departments of Putumayo, Caquetá and Nariño (Tumaco).

4. Location
Caquetá, Amazon region of Colombia.
4 municipalties:
• San Vicente del Caguán
• La Montañita
• Puerto Rico
• El Paujil

5. Organizations
Funded by the European Union through the
European Fund for Peace
Implemented by Red Adelco, ICCO Latin America
and the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT
Supported by the National
Government, through the territorial
entities created after the Peace
Agreement

6. Components
Improvement of
tertiary pathways
Strengthening of
value chains
Technological
innovation, quality
processes and good
practices
Development of
business models,
financial support
Partnerships

7. Technological innovation component
Result #4: Technological and innovative developments (productive, ecological, low-carbon and
resilient) in the production systems implemented by farmers linked to the dairy and cocoa chains.
R 4.1 R 4.2 R 4.3
R 4.4 R 4.5
Adoption of sustainable
livestock systems.
Integration of
technological packages
for sustainable livestock
production
Strengthening the production
of cocoa crops in agroforestry
systems
Inclusion of technological
packages for sustainable cocoa
production
Certification in good
agricultural and
livestock practices

8. Selection criteria
• Being part of a formal social organization
• Legalized ownership of the farm
• Livestock is the main activity of the farm
• Minimum production of 20 lt/day
• Total area between 86-116 hectares
• Women and youth are prioritized
• Tradition of livestock production.
• Willing to develop certification and
voluntary conservation processes
• At least 75% of family income from
activities related to agriculture
• Must reside on the property and a valid
unique vaccination registry from ICA.
Socialization meeting and baseline surveys conducted in Caquetá

9. Goals
• 370 families benefited
• At least 30% of women benefited
• 560 hectares with sustainable livestock
systems
• 950 hectares of protected/restored
forests
• Increment of at least 20% of milk
production
• At least 80% of the farms signed
voluntary conservation agreements

10. Our approach

11. Land Planning
Strategy based on knowing
the status and relationship
of all the components of a
farm, strengths and
weaknesses, to guide its
development possibilities,
define the actions to be
undertaken and the order
of implementation in each
case.

12. Technological packages
1. Water harvesting + livestock aqueduct
2. Division of paddocks + tree lines
3. Renewal of grasslands + application of
amendments
4. Establishment of grasslands +
application of amendments
5. Food security associated with livestock
systems
6. Mixed Forage Banks

13. Water harvesting + livestock aqueduct
• Infrastructure of 29 m² for rainwater harvesting.
• Geomembrane bag with a storage capacity of 10.5 m³
• Livestock aqueduct network with hydrant points for paddocks
• Mobile waterer with filling valve

14. Division of paddocks + tree lines
Tree lines associated with forage shrubs.
Tree lines
Tree lines associated with forage shrubs
and staple crops.
Tree lines associated with staple
crops for food security
Electric fence division (steel post and rod)

15. Renewal of grasslands + application of amendments
• On improved pastures
already established
• Application and
incorporation of
correctives or
amendments
• Replanting of grasses in
required areas
• Sowing of herbaceous
legumes

16. Establishment of grasslands + application of amendments
• Chemical burning prior to
land preparation.
• Application and
incorporation of
correctives/amendments
• Planting of improved
grasses/ herbaceous
legumes

17. Food security associated with livestock systems
• Planting of staple crops for
food security: Plantain,
cassava, corn, fruit trees.
• These species may be
associated in tree lines or
in a preferred area of the
farmer, e.g. close to the
house.

18. Mixed Forage Banks
• Association of several cut-
and-carry forage species
within the same lot
• Combine species rich in
protein and species rich in
energy
• Its implementation is
critical in places where
there are periods of
scarcity of food in the
paddocks.

19. Implementation and
monitoring protocol
Proposed methodology to
facilitate the processes in the
field and socialize the step-by-
step with dairy producing
families.

20. Further reading
Production models and
technical assistance
towards sustainable
livestock in the department
of Caquetá
hdl.handle.net/10568/115993
Spanish version:
hdl.handle.net/10568/115987
Acción de mitigación
nacionalmente apropiada
NAMA de la ganadería
bovina sostenible en
Colombia
hdl.handle.net/10568/114670

21. Mauricio Sotelo-Cabrera
m.dotelo@cgiar.org
Thanks!