Representatives from 16 countries propose more than 70 low-cost climate solutions in livestock farming

The regional competition promoted by PLACA, which is supported by FAO, will have three winners who will receive US$1,000 to strengthen and scale their technological projects.

28/08/2024, Santiago

More than 70 applications from 16 countries were registered for the third edition of the Low-Cost Practical and Technological Solutions for Climate Action in Livestock, organized by the Platform of Latin America and the Caribbean for Climate Action on Agriculture (PLACA).

The winners will be announced on October 14, 2024, and the top three scorers will have access to USD 1,000 to strengthen their initiatives.
PLACA is a regional mechanism for voluntary collaboration that seeks to create a space for the exchange of knowledge, technologies and practices among specialists linked to the agricultural world and ministries of agriculture of the countries, with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) acting as the secretariat.

The regional competition was promoted by PLACA's Knowledge Management Thematic Working Group. The objective this year was to find innovative solutions that contribute to the adaptation and mitigation of climate change in livestock farming, through good practices in feeding, reproduction and management; management and handling of fodder and feed resources; rescue and conservation of genetic resources; treatment and use of manure and dairy waste; and comprehensive strategies for the welfare of animals, people and the environment.

The contest was attended by producers, rural advisors, academics and researchers, as well as professionals from public and private institutions from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

"The contest invites to rethink the use of common and low-cost local resources that contribute to the sustainability of livestock (cattle, sheep and goats) through adaptation and mitigation to climate change," explained Maria Mercedes Proaño, FAO Climate Finance Officer.

This initiative makes available to the actors of the extension system, knowledge and applicability of projects already implemented and that have generated a positive impact in their localities. PLACA, on its website, has a bank of practical and low-cost technological solutions, with the purpose of democratizing information that can be replicated in different territories.

This contest reinforces PLACA's commitment to climate resilience and agricultural sustainability in Latin America and the Caribbean, promoting practices that not only increase productivity, but also generate social and environmental co-benefits for farmers and rural communities.

More on this topic
Contest seeks ideas to combat climate change in livestock farming in Latin America and the Caribbean
PLACA in the field: Interview with 2023 regional contest winner Richard Intriago