Brazil has one of the greatest growth rates of beef production in the world according to recent research. As a result, up to 75% of deforestation in Brazil is related to expanding cattle ranches. Needless to say, as demand for meat products is steadily increasing, we urgently need to find ways to engage farmers in sustainable production instead of continuing in the same footsteps.

While livestock farming and oil palm plantations might produce the goods we want – meat, margarine, shampoo, lipstick and ice-cream – the trade-offs are a harsh reality with clear-cut forests and diminishing biodiversity. In addition, these activities, including production of bioenergy products, are also clashing with climate change mitigation goals. The bioenergy issue is still the elephant in the room as it is compromising food security and forest cover in the name of mitigation.

So which way forward for getting farmers on board in creating sustainable production chains? How do we achieve forest and ecosystem preservation with increased food production and income for all?

Turning this unsustainable commodity agricultural production around might seem like an impossible task, but this has not deterred researchers from looking at ways to promote and enhance agricultural sustainability and to reduce deforestation.

Researchers Peter Newton and Helena Alves-Pinto, working under the CCAFS Low-Emissions Agriculture theme, recently held a Technical and Networking Session on Managing landscapes for food, fuel, fiber and forests. The session took place at the Global Landscapes Forum, alongside the global climate talks in Warsaw.

Together with colleagues from University of Michigan, Imaflora, and The Forests Dialogue, Peter and Helena shared insights from a recently released a paper, Certifying sustainability: opportunities and challenges for the cattle supply chain in Brazil. The paper analyses farmer engagement with the Sustainable Agriculture Network Standard for Sustainable Cattle Production Systems certification program and other interventions associated with livestock and deforestation in Amazonia.

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