Livelihood Capitals and Opportunity Cost for Grazing Areas’ Restoration: A Sustainable Intensification Strategy in the Ecuadorian Amazon
Land use change in pastures is considered one of the leading drivers of tropical deforestation in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region (EAR). To halt and reverse this process, it is necessary to understand, among other factors, the local livelihoods, income from grazing area and the appropriate options to f...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/4/714 |
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| author | Bolier Torres Ítalo Espinoza Alexandra Torres Robinson Herrera-Feijoo Marcelo Luna Antón García |
| author_facet | Bolier Torres Ítalo Espinoza Alexandra Torres Robinson Herrera-Feijoo Marcelo Luna Antón García |
| author_sort | Bolier Torres |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Land use change in pastures is considered one of the leading drivers of tropical deforestation in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region (EAR). To halt and reverse this process, it is necessary to understand, among other factors, the local livelihoods, income from grazing area and the appropriate options to foster sustainable production, incorporating the land-sparing and land-sharing approach. This work was conducted using 167 household surveys along an altitudinal gradient within the buffer and transition zone of the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve (SBR) in the EAR. The results of a comparative analysis of the main capital variables (human, social, natural, financial, and physical), and the opportunity cost of grazing area assessment provides the following key findings: (a) the concepts of land sparing and land sharing should be considered as complementary local strategies, including household livelihoods and the opportunity cost of the grazing area; (b) we should encourage markets with differentiated restoration rights, based on households engaged in low grazing areas’ opportunity costs, and making less impact on capitals’ livelihood a key element of economic and conservation initiatives; and (c) sectoral policy implications, including moderate intensification and technological improvements to strengthen the pastureland-sparing and -sharing approach, are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:16:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-74976128a8d4432d8e24930973c3dfac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:16:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-74976128a8d4432d8e24930973c3dfac2023-11-16T18:40:34ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-02-0113471410.3390/ani13040714Livelihood Capitals and Opportunity Cost for Grazing Areas’ Restoration: A Sustainable Intensification Strategy in the Ecuadorian AmazonBolier Torres0Ítalo Espinoza1Alexandra Torres2Robinson Herrera-Feijoo3Marcelo Luna4Antón García5Faculty of Life Sciences, Amazon State University (UEA), Pastaza 160101, EcuadorFaculty of Biological Sciences, State Technical University of Quevedo (UTEQ), Quevedo Av. Quito km, 1 1/2 Vía a Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Quevedo 120550, EcuadorPostgraduate Unit, State Technical University of Quevedo (UTEQ), Quevedo Av. Quito km, 1 1/2 Vía a Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Quevedo 120550, EcuadorFaculty of Agriculture and Forestry, State Technical University of Quevedo (UTEQ), Quevedo Av. Quito km, 1 1/2 Vía a Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Quevedo 120550, EcuadorFaculty of Earth Sciences, Amazon State University (UEA), Pastaza 160101, EcuadorDepartment of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, SpainLand use change in pastures is considered one of the leading drivers of tropical deforestation in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region (EAR). To halt and reverse this process, it is necessary to understand, among other factors, the local livelihoods, income from grazing area and the appropriate options to foster sustainable production, incorporating the land-sparing and land-sharing approach. This work was conducted using 167 household surveys along an altitudinal gradient within the buffer and transition zone of the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve (SBR) in the EAR. The results of a comparative analysis of the main capital variables (human, social, natural, financial, and physical), and the opportunity cost of grazing area assessment provides the following key findings: (a) the concepts of land sparing and land sharing should be considered as complementary local strategies, including household livelihoods and the opportunity cost of the grazing area; (b) we should encourage markets with differentiated restoration rights, based on households engaged in low grazing areas’ opportunity costs, and making less impact on capitals’ livelihood a key element of economic and conservation initiatives; and (c) sectoral policy implications, including moderate intensification and technological improvements to strengthen the pastureland-sparing and -sharing approach, are discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/4/714Sumaco Biosphere Reservecattle incomeland sparingland sharing |
| spellingShingle | Bolier Torres Ítalo Espinoza Alexandra Torres Robinson Herrera-Feijoo Marcelo Luna Antón García Livelihood Capitals and Opportunity Cost for Grazing Areas’ Restoration: A Sustainable Intensification Strategy in the Ecuadorian Amazon Animals Sumaco Biosphere Reserve cattle income land sparing land sharing |
| title | Livelihood Capitals and Opportunity Cost for Grazing Areas’ Restoration: A Sustainable Intensification Strategy in the Ecuadorian Amazon |
| title_full | Livelihood Capitals and Opportunity Cost for Grazing Areas’ Restoration: A Sustainable Intensification Strategy in the Ecuadorian Amazon |
| title_fullStr | Livelihood Capitals and Opportunity Cost for Grazing Areas’ Restoration: A Sustainable Intensification Strategy in the Ecuadorian Amazon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Livelihood Capitals and Opportunity Cost for Grazing Areas’ Restoration: A Sustainable Intensification Strategy in the Ecuadorian Amazon |
| title_short | Livelihood Capitals and Opportunity Cost for Grazing Areas’ Restoration: A Sustainable Intensification Strategy in the Ecuadorian Amazon |
| title_sort | livelihood capitals and opportunity cost for grazing areas restoration a sustainable intensification strategy in the ecuadorian amazon |
| topic | Sumaco Biosphere Reserve cattle income land sparing land sharing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/4/714 |
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