The carbon footprint of beef transportation in Colombia: Market connections and distribution networks

Livestock food systems largely contribute to the overall food systems’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and are thus put at the centre of global policy and research agendas on mitigation and adaptation. An additional growing concern on the prevalence of globalised animal product value chains and the s...

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Main Authors: Castillo, Johana M., Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo, Bravo, Aura, Florez, Jesús Fernando, Triana Ángel, Natalia, Lienert, Anja, Burkart, Stefan
Format: Poster
Language:Inglés
Published: International Center for Tropical Agriculture 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132214
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author Castillo, Johana M.
Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo
Bravo, Aura
Florez, Jesús Fernando
Triana Ángel, Natalia
Lienert, Anja
Burkart, Stefan
author_browse Bravo, Aura
Burkart, Stefan
Castillo, Johana M.
Florez, Jesús Fernando
Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo
Lienert, Anja
Triana Ángel, Natalia
author_facet Castillo, Johana M.
Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo
Bravo, Aura
Florez, Jesús Fernando
Triana Ángel, Natalia
Lienert, Anja
Burkart, Stefan
author_sort Castillo, Johana M.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Livestock food systems largely contribute to the overall food systems’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and are thus put at the centre of global policy and research agendas on mitigation and adaptation. An additional growing concern on the prevalence of globalised animal product value chains and the specialisation of agricultural markets and their environmental pressures over supply networks further adds to this debate. However, detailed quantification of the livestock contribution intensity to the emissions has focused mostly on the farm and the performance of animals’ feed intake, rather than on the composition and extension of the beef supply network, a perspective that contributes to further our understanding of the food system’s carbon footprint. This research thus used the calculation of food miles to explore the functioning of the Colombian beef market and the emissions entailed in the mobilisation of live animals and processed products in central trade nodes between 2019-2022. The results were compared with emissions derived from the transportation of alternative proteins from animal (chicken, pork, eggs, and milk) and non-animal sources (dry grains). The analysis of bovine products indicates that beef transport was responsible for the highest environmental load, generating on average 25.000 tons CO2eq, in contrast to alternative proteins, where chicken meat is the biggest culprit (40.000 tons CO2eq). However, chicken’s growing demand has increased the quantities mobilised compared to beef, reflecting a greater efficiency of the chicken supply network per volume mobilised. The relational pattern observed in Colombia’s regions pointed out Cali as the leading city in the reception and redistribution of live animals and beef. A strong interaction with neighbouring municipalities in the southwest and the Colombian Amazon configures Cali as a highly central node that, in consequence, concentrates significant pollution. These findings reveal the need to develop comprehensive approaches and strategies to reduce livestock production emissions, acknowledging the vital role that the beef supply network, transportation distances, infrastructure, and technologies play in cattle-derived emissions.
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spelling CGSpace1322142025-11-05T11:46:59Z The carbon footprint of beef transportation in Colombia: Market connections and distribution networks Castillo, Johana M. Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo Bravo, Aura Florez, Jesús Fernando Triana Ángel, Natalia Lienert, Anja Burkart, Stefan greenhouse gas emissions livestock logit analysis Livestock food systems largely contribute to the overall food systems’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and are thus put at the centre of global policy and research agendas on mitigation and adaptation. An additional growing concern on the prevalence of globalised animal product value chains and the specialisation of agricultural markets and their environmental pressures over supply networks further adds to this debate. However, detailed quantification of the livestock contribution intensity to the emissions has focused mostly on the farm and the performance of animals’ feed intake, rather than on the composition and extension of the beef supply network, a perspective that contributes to further our understanding of the food system’s carbon footprint. This research thus used the calculation of food miles to explore the functioning of the Colombian beef market and the emissions entailed in the mobilisation of live animals and processed products in central trade nodes between 2019-2022. The results were compared with emissions derived from the transportation of alternative proteins from animal (chicken, pork, eggs, and milk) and non-animal sources (dry grains). The analysis of bovine products indicates that beef transport was responsible for the highest environmental load, generating on average 25.000 tons CO2eq, in contrast to alternative proteins, where chicken meat is the biggest culprit (40.000 tons CO2eq). However, chicken’s growing demand has increased the quantities mobilised compared to beef, reflecting a greater efficiency of the chicken supply network per volume mobilised. The relational pattern observed in Colombia’s regions pointed out Cali as the leading city in the reception and redistribution of live animals and beef. A strong interaction with neighbouring municipalities in the southwest and the Colombian Amazon configures Cali as a highly central node that, in consequence, concentrates significant pollution. These findings reveal the need to develop comprehensive approaches and strategies to reduce livestock production emissions, acknowledging the vital role that the beef supply network, transportation distances, infrastructure, and technologies play in cattle-derived emissions. 2023-09-21 2023-10-12T08:08:21Z 2023-10-12T08:08:21Z Poster https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132214 en Open Access application/pdf International Center for Tropical Agriculture Castillo, J.M.; Gonzalez, C.E.; Bravo, A.; Florez, J.F.; Triana-Ángel, N.; Lienert, A.; Burkart, S. (2023) The carbon footprint of beef transportation in Colombia: Market connections and distribution networks. Poster prepared for Tropentag 2023 - Competing pathways for equitable food systems transformation: trade-offs and synergies. Berlin, Germany, 20-22 September 2023. Cali (Colombia): International Center for Tropical Agriculture. 1 p.
spellingShingle greenhouse gas emissions
livestock
logit analysis
Castillo, Johana M.
Gonzalez Rodriguez, Carlos Eduardo
Bravo, Aura
Florez, Jesús Fernando
Triana Ángel, Natalia
Lienert, Anja
Burkart, Stefan
The carbon footprint of beef transportation in Colombia: Market connections and distribution networks
title The carbon footprint of beef transportation in Colombia: Market connections and distribution networks
title_full The carbon footprint of beef transportation in Colombia: Market connections and distribution networks
title_fullStr The carbon footprint of beef transportation in Colombia: Market connections and distribution networks
title_full_unstemmed The carbon footprint of beef transportation in Colombia: Market connections and distribution networks
title_short The carbon footprint of beef transportation in Colombia: Market connections and distribution networks
title_sort carbon footprint of beef transportation in colombia market connections and distribution networks
topic greenhouse gas emissions
livestock
logit analysis
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132214
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