• To promote environmentally sustainable cattle production for the conservation of natural resources and economic and social sustainability.

The purpose of the cattle sector’s environmental sustainability agenda, signed by all the stakeholders in this production chain that generates over US$700 million in exports and accounts for up to 25% of the country’s foreign currency, is to produce greater amounts of higher-quality, safer meat in a community- and environmentally-responsible way. This is the first such agenda produced by the agricultural sector and is being presented in the framework of the National Agricultural Fair (Fenagro), organized by EXPICA and held between April 28 and May 03.


The signatories are the Nicaraguan Chamber of Beef Export Plants (Canicarne), the Nicaraguan Dairy Sector Chamber (Canislac), the Federation of Livestock Associations of Nicaragua (Faganic), the National Livestock Commission of Nicaragua (Conagan), the Association of Brahman Cattle Breeders of Nicaragua (ACBN) and the Union of Agricultural Producers of Nicaragua (Upanic).

“With the aim of improving production conditions to ensure future generations can satisfy their needs, we have come together as a sector to commit to the ongoing improvement of our production systems, environmental protection and the improvement of our producers’ quality of life,” explained the Canicarne executive director Juan Velásquez.
One of the agenda’s key points is to promote voluntary, market-oriented and science-based sustainable cattle production strategies in line with the specific situations of the different regions, which should be locally designed and implemented.


Other points on the environmental agenda are to protect and respect human rights and to recognize the roles that those involved in this trade sector play in relation to their communities, culture and caring for the environment, particularly with respect to indigenous communities and protected areas.

From extensive to intensive cattle farming

“Environmentally sustainable cattle production is vital for the conservation of natural resources, producers’ economic sustainability, and our country’s social sustainability,” according to Upanic president Álvaro Vargas.


The environmental agenda will also promote private and public research on technologies that help improve environmentally sustainable production and the creation of a work group to analyze and provide recommendations on actions the livestock sector must implement to respond to the effects of climate change.

In this respect, the initiative also contemplates the development of working frameworks to which all members of the sector are committed, as well as promoting the use of renewable energy and sustainable waste management in the industry.


Given its importance for the country’s economy and the main international markets for Nicaraguan meat—including the United States, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong and Spain—this sector’s mission is to protect the environment and to improve its productive systems and the quality of life of everyone involved in the production chain.