With the aim of consolidating the sustainable livestock model of Jalisco, the project “Meat free from deforestation in free grazing systems: a model of production and marketing in Jalisco” has been initiated.
This projects seeks to reduce the degradation and deforestation of the forests and jungles of our state, and benefits livestock farmers in forest areas with the promotion of good management practices, this in alliance with local livestock associations and inter-municipal boards.
The project has been developed based on the establishment of intensive silvopastoral systems, through support granted by the State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader,) through the Program for Sustainable Agricultural Production, and seeks to achieve the commercialization of meat free from deforestation with an innovative approach.
By strengthening the capacities of producers, ensuring public assets for sustainable production, having accessible financing schemes, and developing a business model for meat from these systems, it contributes to reducing the degradation and deforestation of the state, and to its conservation model.
To learn more about this production model, the promoters of the project, the Secretary of the Environment and Territorial Development (Semadet,) Sergio Graf Montero, and the head of the Sader office, Salvador Álvarez García, met at the Las Piletas Ranch in El Limón together with its owner, Alejandro Michel. Adalberto Velasco, president of the Jalisco Regional Livestock Union, and ranchers representing 12 Jalisco municipalities also attended.
“I am moving the cattle to one area, while the other left to rest for about a year. So the forage that grows serves as food. This has allowed me to keep my units well fed despite the drought.”, explained Michel.
For the rancher, the support of the Sader Jalisco has been fundamental, since they have allowed him to have water catchment systems, taking advantage of the rain and water sources that are found at the top of the nearest hill.
Salvador Álvarez García commented that this system is the solution to many problems faced by ranchers in Jalisco, and recalled that sustainable development is a priority for Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez, who had invited producers to seek support from the programs he offers Sader Jalisco, "where we mainly support projects that prevent deforestation."
Sergio Graf Montero commented that the wish is for Jalisco to continue being the country's agricultural leader, but remain aware of the natural heritage. “We have lost 729,000 hectares of forests and jungles from 1993 to 2013,… and part of the problem has been livestock.”
During the tour of the Las Piletas ranch and the Forage Species Nursery of the Local Livestock Association of El Limón, there was also the accompaniment of representatives of the trusts of the Forest Development Program and the State Fund of Protection of the Environment of Jalisco, the University of Guadalajara, the National Development Finance, and the Intermunicipal Environmental Boards of the Sierra Occidental and Costa regions, Costa Sur, and Río Ayuquila.
To carry out this project, it has the support of the Norwegian Fund through the United Nations Development Program within the framework of the GCF Task Force, with the Northwest Fund A.C. being the implementing partner of said project.
Thirty ranches in the municipality of El Limón have taken advantage of the support of programs for the Promotion of Sustainable Agricultural Production, Implementation of Renewable Energies and Conservation of Natural Resources, through Sader Jalisco, to optimally develop the silvopastoral system.
In total, more than two million pesos have been invested in these 30 ranches in the municipality through the Sader Jalisco programs during 2019 and 2020.
The municipalities represented during the tour were Tolimán, Tonaya, La Huerta, Cabo Corrientes, Unión de Tula, Ejutla, Tuxcacuesco, San Gabriel, Tapalpa, Zapotitlán de Vadillo, Autlán and Cihuatlán.
The Local Livestock Association of El Limón obtained the National Award for Forest Merit 2021, in the category of Water Management and Healthy Ecosystems.