UAEMéx Research Backs Sustainable Livestock in State of Mexico

The Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (UAEMéx) is participating in an international effort to advance sustainable livestock production and food security in the southern region of the state. The collaboration centers on direct engagement with small producers to design livestock and forage management systems under sustainable models. 

Improving production systems for small-scale farmers, particularly those managing dual-purpose cattle for meat and milk, is one of the project’s key aims. According to Anastacio García, Researcher, UAEMéx’s Temascaltepec University Center, the goal is to develop practical solutions that can be implemented at the farm level while remaining economically viable. Research activities are conducted alongside the Academic Body in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at UAEMéx Temascaltepec, with faculty and students regularly visiting family-run farms to observe production processes and assess real-world conditions surrounding meat, milk, and derivative production.

This field-based methodology allows researchers to introduce feeding strategies that lower production costs by using native grasses and herbs. Livestock grazing in forested areas contributes to natural soil fertilization, creating benefits for farm economics and environmental balance.

“The feeding strategies we implement in production units have a significant impact on the small producer’s economy,” says García. “In addition, keeping livestock in forested areas helps clear undergrowth, which has proven to be an effective measure for preventing forest fires.”

The research also links animal nutrition to product quality. García says that balanced diets improve the quality of meat and dairy products, which supports consumer health and strengthens commercialization chains. Higher-quality output expands opportunities for producers to distribute their products beyond local communities into urban markets, he adds.

The work forms part of an international research network that includes specialists from Argentina, Paraguay, and Costa Rica, with Mexico represented by UAEMéx, the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, and the Universidad Autónoma de Hidalgo. UAEMéx frames the initiative as part of its contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to food security (SDG 2: Zero Hunger), sustainable agriculture (SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production), and environmental protection (SDG: Life on Land). 

García says this international, UN-supported model ensures that research outcomes translate into measurable improvements for rural communities while also reinforcing collaborative academic work. “These production systems have a considerable environmental impact, but they also strengthen collegial work and highlight the role of UAEMéx in training professionals committed to the needs of their communities,” he adds.

These research efforts come as international bodies issue a warning over the urgency of addressing land degradation in Latin America, reports MBN. The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) report shows that land degradation, driven mainly by human activities such as deforestation, agricultural expansion, intensive input use, and unsustainable farming practices, threatens productivity, food security, and ecosystem resilience.

The report shows that while 85% of farms worldwide are smaller than 2ha, nearly half of global agricultural land is concentrated in a very small number of large-scale operations. This landscape underscores the need for differentiated policies based on farm size, along with strategic investments and mechanisms that align private incentives with public benefits. In Mexico, 56.7% of the national territory shows some degree of soil degradation, according to the National Commission for Arid Zones (CONAZA).