Mainstreaming Proven EbA Solutions with Small-Scale Cattle Ranches to Increase the Resilience of Livestock Supply Chain in Northeast Mexico

Northeast Mexico plays an important role in cattle production, in terms of both food security and in providing livelihood benefits for more than 230,000 people. The grasslands and scrublands that dominate the landscape underpin livestock production and are vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The region has seen increased severity and frequency of fire and drought with drastic changes in temperature affecting the productivity of pastures and crops. The project worked with small-scale ranchers and linked them with a more consolidated producers’ group, thereby increasing resiliency throughout the value chain. Lessons learned were developed into recommendations for local and state authorities, strengthening current adaptation policies.

Project Status

Completed 30 September 2023

• 1 coordination mechanism in the form of an Advisory Council was created, comprising federal, state, and local governments, as well as academic, private sector, and local producers and communities. The Council promotes coordination and collaboration among stakeholders on topics related to livestock in the Protected Areas.
• The project – in conjunction with ranchers and the Natural Protected Areas National Commission (CONANP) – developed 1 MEL instrument to support the sectoral monitoring and reporting of the implementation of EbA measures in livestock lands in Natural Protected Areas. The selected indicators – including environmental, productive, and economic aspects – were developed jointly with small-scale ranchers, allowing them the opportunity to provide feedback and identify other activities that could help them to achieve the desired outcomes of the EbA measures, reducing their vulnerabilities to climate change.
• 26 men and 6 females were direct beneficiaries with an additional 800 indirect beneficiaries, comprising ranchers, government representatives at the municipal, state and federal level, and representatives from NGOs, academic and the private sector. The support provided came in the form of trainings and meetings to increase awareness and capacities about climate change and EbA approaches to address climate impacts. To support these workshops, direct support was provided to a small group of ranchers to help them start implementation of EbA measures on their lands.
• 1,743.50ha of grasslands and shrublands are under improved practices for conservation, restoration and sustainable use with voluntarily conserved areas, seed banks from local grasslands and other vegetation, and rotational livestock grazing.
• Lastly, 2 tools were developed, one of which is the M&E system for implemented EbA measures. The second is a digital platform that was designed to assess the ranchers’ vulnerabilities to climate change at a ranch scale. It collects information about the natural conditions of the ranches, the production livestock system in place, the climate hazards identified, and the solutions applied to address these hazards. Technical support to ranchers was provided to encourage usage. The project expects CONANP to use these tools in future interventions, helping them to facilitate the systematization of information about adaptation action in the area.