International concerns. Brazilian efforts
Cattle farming’s share of the global emissions and removal of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) raises various issues. The results obtained in Brazil have been acknowledged by the international scientific community, but there is still a demand for additional data.
The PECUS Research Network was established to study such issues, taking into account the diversity of the Brazilian landscape and diversity of production systems and the complexity of aspects to be evaluated. PECUS is an inter-institutional network of multidisciplinary teams working in the main Brazilian biomes, namely, Amazonia, Caatinga, Cerrado, Atlantic Rainforest, Pantanal, and Pampa.
The PECUS network studies the dynamics of GHG in the production systems used in the various Brazilian biomes, aiming at indicating livestock operations that are sustainable from the economic, social and environmental viewpoints.
The overall objective of the network is to contribute to the competitiveness and sustainability of Brazilian livestock sector through the development and organization of research that assesses the contribution of animal production systems to GHG dynamics. Additionally, it aims to identify mitigation alternatives and to provide input to the public policy making process. PECUS also helps to enhance standards and mechanisms that guarantee the quality, safety and traceability of livestock products.