Mexico - Develop methane roadmap for the livestock sub-sector and inclusion of agricultural livestock methane in Mexico’s NDC 3.0

Rationale

Mexico has committed to reducing methane emissions through the Global Methane Pledge, aiming for a 30% reduction by 2030 relative to 2020 levels. Livestock production is both an economic cornerstone and a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing 13% of national emissions. Key sources of methane include:

1. Enteric fermentation, especially in degraded pastures.
2. Manure management, where anaerobic decomposition produces methane.

Poorly managed livestock systems, low-quality feed, and non-optimized manure management systems increase methane intensity.

Two complementary mitigation strategies offer high potential:

1. Silvopastoral Systems (SPS): Integrating trees, legumes, and high-protein plants into grazing areas improves feed quality, reduces enteric methane emissions by 15–30%, enhances animal welfare, increases carbon sequestration, restores degraded lands, and delivers biodiversity and livelihood co-benefits.
2. Biodigesters for manure management: Anaerobic digestion systems capture methane from livestock manure, generating renewable energy and bio-fertilizers, while reducing emissions. Despite prior installations, data on operational biodigesters is limited, creating a gap for scaling up and policy integration.

Together, SPS adoption and biodigester deployment form a dual mitigation pathway, addressing both enteric and manure-related methane emissions while supporting NDC 3.0 updates, livestock sector adaptation, and broader climate commitments.

Objectives

• Map, classify, and assess Silvopastoral Systems within Mexico’s temperate agroecological livestock zone, including biomass, coverage, typology, and potential implementation areas.
• Develop a national inventory of biodigesters for manure management in large Livestock Production Units (LPUs) and Livestock Service Providers (LSPs) to quantify methane reduction potential.
• Analyze barriers, challenges, and opportunities for both SPS adoption and biodigester implementation across regions.
• Develop a combined national roadmap for livestock methane mitigation integrating SPS and manure management strategies.
• Enhance government and stakeholder capacity for evidence-based decision-making on methane mitigation, climate adaptation, and NDC 3.0 implementation.

Activities

Silvopastoral Systems (SPS)

• Methodological adaptation: Refine the AGRICULTURA photointerpretation guide for SPS mapping.
• Field verification: Conduct site visits in key livestock states (Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas, Jalisco, Michoacán, Estado de México, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Chiapas, Puebla, CDMX, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas).
• Satellite image classification: Map SPS distribution, biomass, coverage, and identify degraded lands for potential implementation.
• Geospatial products: Produce vector and raster datasets with metadata and data dictionaries.
• Barriers/opportunities assessment: Analyze socio-ecological, policy, and economic constraints for SPS adoption.
• Potential projection: Estimate feasible SPS areas by ecoregion to support NDC targets.

Biodigester/Manure Management

• Inventory design: Develop and validate a data collection tool for operational biodigesters in large LPUs and LSPs.
• Field data collection: Conduct site visits and pilot tests to verify tool and collect data.
• Database creation: Compile biodigester inventory including location, technology type, installation date, efficiency, operational status, feedstock, maintenance, and costs.
• Analysis and reporting: Generate spatial distribution maps, gaps, and scaling opportunities; recommend policies to integrate biodigesters as methane mitigation strategies into NDC 3.0.
• Capacity building: Train government entities, agricultural experts, and other stakeholders on SPS and manure management mitigation options.

Project Reference: [MX-25-003t] Develop methane roadmap for the livestock sub-sector and inclusion of agricultural livestock methane in Mexico’s NDC 3.0