Sustainable Feedbacks of Colombian Paramos Involving Livestock, Agricultural Activities, and Sustainable Development Goals of the Agenda 2030

Abstract: Colombian mountain Páramos are considered natural areas with a very important role for
human life. Páramos provide, both in mountain and lowland areas, a multitude of ecosystem services
which start from vegetation to soil sustainability. The sustainability of Páramos is however impaired
by several anthropogenic activities, including agricultural and livestock practices. A system thinking
approach was applied in this work to improve the systemic understanding of factors aecting
sustainability and resilience of Páramos agro-ecosystems. Interdisciplinary literature evidences
were summarized and conceptually analyzed in order to develop causal loop diagrams of Páramo
system structures allowing describing the main feedback loops involving (involved in/connecting)
the Páramo ecosystem and driving its sustainability. From the causal diagram analysis few insights to
maintain the human presence in Páramos arose. The system analysis highlights that human presence
in Páramos should be stimulated, avoiding agriculture and livestock activities as the main income
source. Particularly, social interactions, education on the Páramos environmental and relevance of
agricultural practices to foster ecosystem services and multiple rentable economic activities should be
enhanced. The study also includes the role of the government in providing the Páramo inhabitants
with payments for ecosystem services and environmental education aimed to boost sustainability.
Sustainable Páramo management will apply specific leverages on the system to reach Sustainable
Development Goals 6 (water), 8 (economic growth, employment and work), 13 (climate change), and
15 (sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems) of the Agenda 2030.