Risk Overview:
Mixed Cut and Carry

Below are presented the principal positive LxE (+) and negative LxE (-) impacts of livestock on the environment. An overview of Risks and Opportunities by resorce base is presented in the Risk Matrix Mixed, Cut and Carry

LxE (+)

The principal positive impact is the potential contribution of livestock to sustainable crop cultivation on smallholder farms. The number of Tropical Livestock Units per ha of cropland in general is more than sufficient to sustain permanent crop cultivation on the little land whichfarms have access to. In general surpluses are sold to manure deficit farms.

LxE (-)

The principal negative impacts are:

- transfer of plant nutrients from the location of the feed resource to farmland.
- Change of vegetation composition and cover as a result of repeated cutting of cover and tree vegetation i.e. in natural forests

LxE (+-)

The impact of cutting on the composition of the vegetation can be negative from an environmental point of view, but be beneficial in economic and social terms. Examples in this respect are the maintenance of cover vegetation in tree plantations and the cutting of vegetation along roadsides, railway dikes, irrigation canals, around office and service buildings etc. It changes the vegetation from tall coarse deep rooting species into that of grass and creepers providing the wanted soil cover.

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