[BR-23-003] Brazil – Reducing methane emissions intensity from the livestock sector

Rationale

Brazil has valuable experience in promoting the adoption of Sustainable Production Systems, Practices, Products and Processes (SPSABC), through the implementation of the Brazilian Plan for Adaptation and Low Carbon Emission in Agriculture (ABC Plan). 

The first cycle of the ABC Plan, implemented between 2010 and 2020, enabled the mitigation of GHG emissions in agriculture and livestock sectors, as well as the restoration of degraded areas. The current period of implementation of the ABC Plan (to 2030) is structured on three conceptual bases: i) Integrated Landscape Approach (ILA); ii) permanent incentive for the adoption of SPSABC; iii) interconnection between climate change mitigation and adaptation. One of its main instruments is the Renovagro credit line, which sets socio-environmental requirements for technology investments.

The project will support two technologies fostered by the ABC+ plan, Recovery of Degraded Pastures (RDP) and Crop-Livestock-Forestry integration (CLFi), which recover productive capacity by increasing the production of plant biomass from forage crops while integrating agroforestry systems. 

These technologies not only make the production system more efficient, which consequently reduces enteric methane (CH4) emissions, but also reduce the pressure to transform new native areas for pastures and preserve existing native areas. The ABC+ plan sets the targets for increasing the adoption of RDP on more than 30 million hectares and of CFLi on 10 million hectares, with a mitigation potential of 114 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent and 38 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent respectively. This project will seek to provide positive incentives for supporting the adoption, implementation, and enhancement of the selected technologies by large and smallholder farmers, while helping them to comply with Brazilian environmental legislations.

Objectives

This project aims to:

• Develop a strategy for supporting the reduction of methane emissions intensity from livestock production and recommendations.
• Develop a strategy for Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of the reduction of methane emissions intensity from livestock production.
• Train 3,000 farmers on the implementation of measures to reduce methane emissions intensity from the livestock sector based on Technological Reference Units (TRUs).

Activities

To achieve these objectives the project will:

• Organise consultation meetings with stakeholders such as researchers from Embrapa, farmers and policymakers.
• Support subnational ABC+ Management Groups.
• Enable implementation of subnational action plans at state level.
• Incorporate the MRV strategy for reducing methane emissions intensity from livestock production in the BC Plan Information System (SINABC).
• Develop and release MRV data on reducing methane emissions intensity from livestock production.
• Conduct feasibility studies.
• Develop a sustainability impact assessment.
• Map financing sources.