Restoration and sustainable intensification of pastures in the Caquetá Department, Colombian Amazon: Challenges and Opportunities

Restoration and sustainable intensification of pastures in the Caquetá Department, Colombian Amazon: Challenges and Opportunities | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 11 November 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Restoration and sustainable intensification of pastures in the Caquetá Department, Colombian Amazon: Challenges and Opportunities Authors : Mauricio Sotelo , Lorenz Allemann , Jacobo Arango , Stefan Burkart 0000-0001-5297-2184 , Juan Andrés Cardoso , Julián Chará , Enrique Murgueitio , … Show All … , A. Oberson , Idupulapati M. Rao , Julián Esteban Rivera , Juan Carlos Suárez , Natalia Triana-Ángel , José Urrea-Benítez , Jaime E. Velásquez , Daniel M. Villegas , and Eduardo Vazquez 0000-0003-4662-1921 [email protected] Show Fewer Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176284812.25798836/v1 315 views 106 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract The Colombian Amazon is a biodiversity hotspot that provides vital ecosystem services; however, deforestation has intensified in recent decades. Particularly, Caquetá Department registers an annual deforestation rate of 0.77% (~685 km 2 year -1 ), roughly twice the average rate for tropical South America. Cattle ranching, a key economic sector, plays a central role in deforestation, as low productivity and pasture and soil degradation due to inadequate management practices often lead to expansion of pasturelands into forest. Here, we review the challenges faced by Caquetá’s cattle sector including the negative environmental impact caused by inadequate cattle ranching management, and advocate for sustainable intensification practices to restore the existing degraded pastures and soils and enhance the region’s development and sustainability. Strategic implementation of improved grass–legume pastures that can provide nitrogen by N 2 fixation to these nutrient limited soils, and silvopastoral systems including trees and shrubs to enhance soil carbon storage, increase biodiversity, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, have been successfully tested in the region. These management practices can revert the ongoing pasture and soil degradation and increase the efficiency of cattle production while reducing environmental impacts and delivering ecosystem services. Moreover, sustainable intensification also strengthens the social and economic sustainability of small- and medium-sized cattle farms, thereby supporting local livelihoods. However, adoption of sustainable intensification and restoration practices remains limited due to financial, social, and logistical barriers. Public policies and financial support are crucial to overcoming these challenges. While sustainable intensification and restoration of the existing degraded pastures alone cannot stop deforestation, it offers a worthwhile path toward a more sustainable cattle sector and regional development. Supplementary Material File (figure 1.docx) Download 470.86 KB File (figure 2.docx) Download 1.08 MB File (figure 3.docx) Download 641.19 KB File (sustainable intensification caqueta_sotelo et al.docx) Download 964.54 KB File (table 1.docx) Download 104.21 KB File (table 2.docx) Download 20.71 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 11 November 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords amazon deforestation pasture degradation silvopastoral systems soil degradation tropical pastures Authors Affiliations Mauricio Sotelo Alliance of Bioversity International and International Center for Tropical Agriculture - Americas Hub View all articles by this author Lorenz Allemann ETH Zurich Foundation View all articles by this author Jacobo Arango Alliance of Bioversity International and International Center for Tropical Agriculture - Americas Hub View all articles by this author Stefan Burkart 0000-0001-5297-2184 Alliance of Bioversity International and International Center for Tropical Agriculture - Americas Hub View all articles by this author Juan Andrés Cardoso Alliance of Bioversity International and International Center for Tropical Agriculture - Americas Hub View all articles by this author Julián Chará Fundacion Centro para la Investigacion en Sistemas Sostenibles de Produccion Agropecuaria View all articles by this author Enrique Murgueitio Fundacion Centro para la Investigacion en Sistemas Sostenibles de Produccion Agropecuaria View all articles by this author A. Oberson ETH Zurich Foundation View all articles by this author Idupulapati M. Rao Alliance of Bioversity International and International Center for Tropical Agriculture - Americas Hub View all articles by this author Julián Esteban Rivera Universidad CES View all articles by this author Juan Carlos Suárez Universidad de la Amazonía View all articles by this author Natalia Triana-Ángel Alliance of Bioversity International and International Center for Tropical Agriculture - Americas Hub View all articles by this author José Urrea-Benítez International Center for Tropical Agriculture View all articles by this author Jaime E. Velásquez Universidad de la Amazonía View all articles by this author Daniel M. Villegas ETH Zurich Foundation View all articles by this author Eduardo Vazquez 0000-0003-4662-1921 [email protected] Universidad Politecnica de Madrid View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 315 views 106 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Mauricio Sotelo, Lorenz Allemann, Jacobo Arango, et al. Restoration and sustainable intensification of pastures in the Caquetá Department, Colombian Amazon: Challenges and Opportunities. Authorea . 11 November 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176284812.25798836/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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