CATIE, Guanacaste Cattle Ranchers Federation, and AgriCien strengthen alliance to promote sustainable, climate-resilient livestock production in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

• Authorities visited the Commercial Farm as part of the workday, where progress was showcased in water management and genetic improvement to obtain more efficient cattle adapted to Turrialba’s climate.

With the aim of further strengthening collaboration between CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) and the Guanacaste Cattle Ranchers Federation (FCCG), a workday was held with the participation of AgriCien, a Costa Rican company specialized in precision technologies for crop management. The meeting aimed to identify new opportunities for the sustainable development of livestock farming in the region.

The agenda focused on discussing three major topics: 1) efficient water management through the implementation of infiltration lines, 2) comprehensive management of cattle farms, and 3) the importance of genetic improvement as a tool to increase productivity and climate resilience.

Field work

The day began with a welcome by the Livestock and Environmental Management Unit (GAMMA), followed by a technical visit to CATIE’s Commercial Farm. During the tour, advances and challenges in pasture water management were presented, along with the ongoing genetic improvement work the institution has carried out for more than 20 years. This effort seeks to obtain smaller animals with higher productive yields and better adaptation to the prevailing climatic conditions in the canton of Turrialba.

In the afternoon session, a technical meeting was held between the teams of CATIE, FCCG, and AgriCien to review collaboration agreements and progress on a joint proposal currently under development. The next steps for its consolidation were discussed, including the search for funding sources to enable medium-term implementation of actions both in the Guanacaste region and through the opportunity to conduct some trials at the Commercial Farm.

“This visit reaffirms the commitment to work together for more resilient, productive livestock farming aligned with the climatic and environmental demands of the territory,” stated FCCG’s Executive Director, Héctor Fabio Chávez. Meanwhile, Eng. José María Agüero, Director of AgriCien, highlighted “the importance of water retention and infiltration to improve pasture production, a challenge that already affects not only Guanacaste but also the Atlantic region of the country.”

Start of evaluations

During the meeting, it was agreed that the infiltration line implementation techniques will be applied at CATIE’s Commercial Farm, allowing for the evaluation of their benefits in terms of soil conservation, water infiltration, and livestock productivity. This will contribute to improving adaptation strategies in the face of a changing climate, characterized by more intense and prolonged droughts affecting both dry and humid areas.

This collaboration is part of CATIE’s effort to support initiatives that seek to improve livestock activity and promote livestock production systems that integrate environmental sustainability, animal welfare, food security, and climate change adaptation.