Greenhouse Gases Emissions Andean Region

Climate change Strategy 1. Farms Strategy 2. Territories Technological Adaptative Diagnostic Method 2014 Closed

Code:

FTG/RF-14653-RG

Initiative:

Joint proyects

FONTAGRO Amount:

USD 139.840

Counterpart Amount:

USD 500.000

Execution time

42 Months

Total Amount:

USD 868.000

Participating countries:

Peru

Bolivia

Colombia

Ecuador

Funding source:

FONTAGRO Amount 16% Other agencies 26% Counterpart Amount 58%

Executive Summary

This project aimed to improve methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions quantification techniques. Furthermore, it intended to generate strategies to help mitigate these emissions in dual-purpose livestock in the Andean Region.

This project was structured in five components.

The first one consisted of biophysical and socioeconomic characterization of dairy production sites.
In a second one, CH4 and N2O emissions were evaluated in production systems (traditional and improved).
The third one evaluated feeding strategies to enhance milk production systems and to reduce their emissions.
Followed by the development of gas mitigation scenarios for pilot sites.
Finally, improvements in research capacities in CH4 and N2O and contribution to public policies.

Results

Livestock feeding improvements such as non-structural carbohydrates reductions and/or higher dietary protein resulted in greater milk yield per day and lesser CH4emissions per liter of milk.

Improved systems had greater milk yield per lactation (2,369 vs. 1,990 kg/lactation) and lower cost of production (0.29 vs. 0.21 $/kg) compared to the traditional ones. Furthermore, CH4 emission per liter of milk was lower in improved systems than in traditional systems (29 vs. 44 g CH4/kg of milk). Hence, feed with lower structural carbohydrates and greater crude protein contents helped to reduce enteric fermentation and enhance milk production.