Productive and Economic Assessment of Agroecosystems in Chimborazo, Ecuador: Integrating Geographic Information Systems and Biodiversity Management for Sustainable Rural Development

The Andean region of Ecuador, due to multiple anthropogenic pressures, requires sustainable systems that are resilient to the effects of climate change. As a possible alternative to reach a consensus on achieving greater productivity and economic viability within a framework of respect for natural resources. An exploratory study was conducted to evaluate the productive and economic performance of a dairy system in the province of Chimborazo, adding the integration of geographic information systems (GIS) and biodiversity indicators. To obtain the information, on-site visits were made using structured surveys and interviews to obtain real information on costs and production dynamics. Meanwhile, using GIS tools, land use was characterised, as well as ecological indicators of species richness, Shannon diversity index and soil quality. A marked seasonality in milk production was observed (P < 0.001), which was most noticeable in April and May (716-728 L/month), decreasing significantly in December to January (578-590 L/month). Annual production reached 156,282 L, with an average of 8.9 L/cow/day, reaching a production cost of USD 0.43 per litre and an approximate annual income of USD 78,141 from milk sales. Furthermore, it has been shown that the implementation of silvopastoral systems and riparian protection zones results in greater biodiversity (20 species; Shannon index of 2.88 and > 0.90 in soil quality) when compared to a traditional monoculture system. In conclusion, the use of ecological, spatial and economic indicators confirms that the implementation of sustainable practices diversifies land use, significantly improving the resilience of the livestock system and is therefore a valuable tool for decision-making towards achieving sustainable systems for the high Andean ecosystem. Keywords: Sustainability; Livestock small producers; Andean region, dairy cows.