DAIRY FARMING: Nestlé advises cattle farmers in Caquetá, Colombia, on environmentally sustainable farming practices.

Caquetá is a poor region of Colombia near the Amazon basin, and Nestlé has had a relationship with the dairy community there for around 35 years. However, in recent years, the security situation has deteriorated, with armed attacks on premises and personnel, and tankers being set on fire, all of which have affected dairy production in Caquetá.

Despite the history of conflict in the region, we are aiming to increase fresh milk production levels and introduce environmentally sustainable practices; to do this, we are working with 13 pilot cattle farms to gradually introduce “Silvopasture”, a system that enhances biodiversity and reduces soil erosion by combining pasture land with other trees and shrubs. This results in improved milk quality and quantity, and therefore greater profits.

The “Silvopasture” project – part of our Dairy Development Plan – is currently in its first phase, with 234 acres across the 13 farms undergoing environmental reconversion. The farmers have committed not to deforest, to generate new pasture areas and to manage their water supplies carefully. The initial results appear promising and, according to our Agricultural Services department:

• milk production per cow has increased from 4.8 litres to 6.2 litres per day, and from 1.8 to
  7 litres per hectare;
• the average number of cows per hectare has increased from 0.6 to 1.0;
• in 10 pilot farms, the average milk production per farm has increased from 180 litres per day to 249 litres per day, an increase of 38%;
• the farms have added an average of two new employees;
• average monthly farm profits have risen by USD 913 (38%).

We plan to expand the project to 130 farms over the next two to three years and ultimately, to work with more than 1300 farms to implement the system across southern Colombia. Over the next 10 years, the project aims to increase milk production by 242% and jobs by 50% in the Caquetá region.

“For a long time, breeders in Caquetá have mishandled this ecosystem, and the consequences are reflected in degraded pastures, critical living conditions for livestock, sudden temperature changes, soil erosion and water scarcity. All of these are not viable for the cattle business. The Silvopasture project gives us the possibility to restore the environment. It is very important to seize this opportunity to preserve vegetation.”

José María Morales, dairy farmer, Caquetá, Colombia

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