An Economic Evaluation of an Intensive Silvo-Pastoral System in San Martín, Peru
The cattle sector plays a critical role in Peru’s agricultural economy, yet it faces challenges related to low productivity and environmental degradation. Sustainable alternatives like silvo-pastoral systems (SPSs) offer promising solutions to enhance both economic returns and ecological outcomes in...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| author | John Jairo Junca Paredes Sandra Guisela Durango Morales Stefan Burkart |
| author_facet | John Jairo Junca Paredes Sandra Guisela Durango Morales Stefan Burkart |
| author_sort | John Jairo Junca Paredes |
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| description | The cattle sector plays a critical role in Peru’s agricultural economy, yet it faces challenges related to low productivity and environmental degradation. Sustainable alternatives like silvo-pastoral systems (SPSs) offer promising solutions to enhance both economic returns and ecological outcomes in cattle farming. This study examines the economic viability of an intensive SPS (SPSi) compared to traditional monoculture grass systems in San Martín, Peru. The SPSi under study is in the evaluation phase, integrates grasses, legumes, shrubs, and trees, and has the potential to enhance cattle farming profitability while simultaneously offering environmental benefits such as improved soil health and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Through a discounted cash flow model over an eight-year period, key profitability indicators—Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Benefit–Cost Ratio (BC), and payback period—were estimated for four dual-purpose cattle production scenarios: a traditional system and three SPSi scenarios (pessimistic, moderate, and optimistic). Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to assess risk, ensuring robust results. The results show that the NPV for the traditional system was a modest USD 61, while SPSi scenarios ranged from USD 9564 to USD 20,465. The IRR improved from 8.17% in the traditional system to between 26.63% and 30.33% in SPSi scenarios, with a shorter payback period of 4.5 to 5.8 years, compared to 7.98 years in the traditional system. Additionally, the SPSi demonstrated a 30% increase in milk production and a 50% to 250% rise in stocking rates per hectare. The study recommends, subject to pending validations through field trials, promoting SPSi adoption through improved access to credit, technical assistance, and policy frameworks that compensate farmers for ecosystem services. Policymakers should also implement monitoring mechanisms to mitigate unintended consequences, such as deforestation, ensuring that SPSi expansion aligns with sustainable land management practices. Overall, the SPSi presents a viable solution for achieving economic resilience and environmental sustainability in Peru’s cattle sector. |
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| spelling | doaj-art-5a6c70d85da24b1e93697f4c21d930412025-08-20T02:21:10ZengMDPI AGGrasses2813-34632025-05-01422110.3390/grasses4020021An Economic Evaluation of an Intensive Silvo-Pastoral System in San Martín, PeruJohn Jairo Junca Paredes0Sandra Guisela Durango Morales1Stefan Burkart2Tropical Forages Program, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), km 17 recta Cali-Palmira, Cali 6713, ColombiaMultifunctional Landscapes, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), km 17 recta Cali-Palmira, Cali 6713, ColombiaTropical Forages Program, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), km 17 recta Cali-Palmira, Cali 6713, ColombiaThe cattle sector plays a critical role in Peru’s agricultural economy, yet it faces challenges related to low productivity and environmental degradation. Sustainable alternatives like silvo-pastoral systems (SPSs) offer promising solutions to enhance both economic returns and ecological outcomes in cattle farming. This study examines the economic viability of an intensive SPS (SPSi) compared to traditional monoculture grass systems in San Martín, Peru. The SPSi under study is in the evaluation phase, integrates grasses, legumes, shrubs, and trees, and has the potential to enhance cattle farming profitability while simultaneously offering environmental benefits such as improved soil health and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Through a discounted cash flow model over an eight-year period, key profitability indicators—Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Benefit–Cost Ratio (BC), and payback period—were estimated for four dual-purpose cattle production scenarios: a traditional system and three SPSi scenarios (pessimistic, moderate, and optimistic). Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to assess risk, ensuring robust results. The results show that the NPV for the traditional system was a modest USD 61, while SPSi scenarios ranged from USD 9564 to USD 20,465. The IRR improved from 8.17% in the traditional system to between 26.63% and 30.33% in SPSi scenarios, with a shorter payback period of 4.5 to 5.8 years, compared to 7.98 years in the traditional system. Additionally, the SPSi demonstrated a 30% increase in milk production and a 50% to 250% rise in stocking rates per hectare. The study recommends, subject to pending validations through field trials, promoting SPSi adoption through improved access to credit, technical assistance, and policy frameworks that compensate farmers for ecosystem services. Policymakers should also implement monitoring mechanisms to mitigate unintended consequences, such as deforestation, ensuring that SPSi expansion aligns with sustainable land management practices. Overall, the SPSi presents a viable solution for achieving economic resilience and environmental sustainability in Peru’s cattle sector.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-3463/4/2/21agroforestry systemsustainable cattle farmingprofitability indicatorsMonte Carlo simulationdual-purpose cattle |
| spellingShingle | John Jairo Junca Paredes Sandra Guisela Durango Morales Stefan Burkart An Economic Evaluation of an Intensive Silvo-Pastoral System in San Martín, Peru Grasses agroforestry system sustainable cattle farming profitability indicators Monte Carlo simulation dual-purpose cattle |
| title | An Economic Evaluation of an Intensive Silvo-Pastoral System in San Martín, Peru |
| title_full | An Economic Evaluation of an Intensive Silvo-Pastoral System in San Martín, Peru |
| title_fullStr | An Economic Evaluation of an Intensive Silvo-Pastoral System in San Martín, Peru |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Economic Evaluation of an Intensive Silvo-Pastoral System in San Martín, Peru |
| title_short | An Economic Evaluation of an Intensive Silvo-Pastoral System in San Martín, Peru |
| title_sort | economic evaluation of an intensive silvo pastoral system in san martin peru |
| topic | agroforestry system sustainable cattle farming profitability indicators Monte Carlo simulation dual-purpose cattle |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-3463/4/2/21 |
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