Integration of Environmental Management Tools to Reduce Vulnerabilities in Livestock Areas

Abstract

The aim of this research was to integrate environmental management tools to reduce vulnerabilities on farms chosen as intervention sites, as part of the Environmental Bases for Local Food Sustainability (BASAL) project, in the municipality of Jimaguayú, Camagüey, Cuba. The tools studied were, environmental arrangement model (MOA) and studies of hydro-meteorological hazards, vulnerabilities, and risks of droughts, rural fires, and sanitary conditions due to epizooties. Four dairy farms (UPL) from the Patria o Muerte Basic Production Cooperative (UBPC) were evaluated. The units were located on the digital maps of MOA environmental units (EU), to analyze the guidelines of each of them. The measures to be adopted depending on the type of hazard were reviewed and integrated by unit. As a result, the four dairy farms were established within the EU limits for which the principal recommended environmental use was livestock raising. Accordingly, four measures were identified for implementation in order to achieve integrated environmental management, which will be added to adaptation measures tackling climate change, following BASAL´s recommendations for those sites. It was concluded that the integration of the tools described improved the portfolio of measures for adaptation to climate change recommended at the UPLs of the Patria o Muerte UBPC. It will contribute to the integration of environmental management aiming to achieve sustainable dairy production.