Impact of the adoption of Brachiaria grasses: Central America and Mexico

摘要

LivestockproductionplaysakeyroleintropicalLatinAmericainachangingeconomicenvironment.Thisstudyfocusesondocumentingthetransformationsofextensiveproductionsystemsbyusingsuperiorforagegermplasmsuppliedbyregionalresearchsystems.TheadoptionofimprovedBrachiariagrasseswasevaluatedfrom1990to2003toestimateitsimpactintermsofanimalproductivityandincomeinCentralAmericaandMexico.Informationonseedsalesinthelocalmarketmadeitpossibletoestimatetheareasplantedandthevalueofadditionalmilkandbeefproductionattributabletoadoption.Mexicopresentsthehighestvolumeofmarketedseedandofareaestablishedwithimprovedpastures.AmongCentralAmericacountries,CostaRicawasoutstandingintermsofthehighvolumeofseedsoldandtheareaplanted,followedbyHonduras,Nicaragua,andPanama.Theannualgrowthrateofseedsaleswasveryhighduringthestudyperiod,reaching32%inMexico,62%inHonduras,45%inNicaragua,39%inCostaRica,and54%inPanama.TheareaplantedwithBrachiariaspeciesduringthisperiodtotaled6.5%ofthetotalsurfaceofpermanentgrassesinMexico,12.5%inHonduras,1.0%inNicaragua,18.7%inCostaRica,and0.1%inPanama.ExcludingNicaraguaandPanama,whereadoptionislow,Brachiariagrassesaccountfor24%-55%oftotalannualmilkproductionandfor5%-18%thatofbeef.ThesefiguresclearlydemonstratethatthoseadoptingnewBrachiariacultivarsarefarmersmainlyorientedtowardmilkproductionand,toalesserextent,beef.Inmonetaryterms,thevalueofadditionalproductionattributabletotheadoptionofBrachiariagrassesintheselectedstudycountrieswasestimatedatUS$1084millionperyear,78%correspondingtomilkand22%tobeef.DuetothemagnitudeofthelivestocksectorinMexico,adoptiongeneratesslightlymorethan80%ofproductionprofits.StudyresultsindicatethattheinvestmentofpublicfundsinCentralAmericaandMexicotosupporttheInternationalNetworkforEvaluationTropicalPastures(RIEPT,itsacronyminSpanish)paidoffintermsofadoptionofimprovedgrassesandsignificantincreasesinthesupplyofmilkandbeef,fundamentalitemsinthedietofconsumersfromallincomelevelsintheregion.