Recent research and policy on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Brazil suggests
that the least-cost, largest-scale mitigation option is for cattle ranchers to produce more on the
land they already use. The rationale is that cattle ranching intensification programs (CRIPs)
can speed yield-increasing technology adoption that delivers GHG benefits by sparing land to
prevent deforestation and allow the production of more biofuels and other agricultural
products. We draw on a literature review to assess the merits and viability of CRIPs in Brazil.
Support for CRIPs is based on a series of premises: intensive cattle ranching technologies are
already in commercial use; accelerating adoption is straightforward; increasing intensive
ranching can reduce cattle product prices; reducing cattle product prices can reduce pasture
area; reducing extensive cattle ranching in Brazil can deliver GHG benefits; CRIPs will
deliver environmental and social benefits; and that the GHG benefits from CRIPs will exceed
implementation costs. We argue for CRIPs trials as part of a broader effort to reduce several
key data and science gaps crucial for assessing the impacts of CRIPs.
