The Gran Chaco Pathways Towards a Sustainable Future 2025

Diversity within the Gran Chaco: climate, ecology and agricultural potential Deforestation trends and impacts on the Gran Chaco biomeBOX 2 BOX 3The Gran Chaco’s diverse climate and geography shape its land use and development patterns, influencing both opportunities and challenges. Despite shared environmental and economic pressures, its internal diversity demands tailored strategies. The region is mostly flat (100-500 metres altitude) and subtropical, with temperatures ranging from 16°C to 29°C. Its most defining factor is precipitation, which follows an east- west gradient, dividing the Chaco into two major ecoregions: –Humid Chaco (including sub-humid and Serrano Chaco): receives 900-1,200 mm of annual rainfall, supporting wetlands, floodplains and grasslands. Higher soil moisture allows for intensive agriculture and cattle ranching, particularly in Paraguay and north-east Argentina. However, agricultural expansion has also driven deforestation and habitat loss. –Dry Chaco (semi-arid and arid Chaco): receives 450-900 mm of annual rainfall, creating a semi-arid landscape dominated by thorny forests and shrubs. Agriculture is more challenging due to limited water availability, with livestock grazing as the predominant activity. While Mennonite agro-industrial hubs have developed, much of the Dry Chaco still faces infrastructure gaps, unreliable water supply and lower soil fertility, requiring adapted farming techniques.12,13 A comprehensive, cross-border strategy is needed to balance growth and conservation. Strengthening sustainable cattle ranching, regenerative agriculture and conservation finance can boost productivity without driving further deforestation. At the same time, investments in infrastructure, water management and climate resilience will be crucial to unlocking the Chaco’s full agricultural potential while preserving its ecosystems and cultural heritage. The Gran Chaco is facing significant environmental challenges as deforestation and land conversion accelerate, driven largely by the expansion of unsustainable agricultural production. This underscores the urgent need to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship and to reinforce the region’s social resilience. According to analysis by REVER, based on data from Global Forest Watch, the Gran Chaco lost over 13 million hectares of forest between 2001 and 2023 – an area equivalent to more than 18 million football fields. These deforestation trends, further analysed in Chapter 3, highlight the scale and urgency of the challenges threatening the integrity of this critical biome. A sustainable development model is essential – one that integrates production with conservation and social equity to ensure that economic progress does not compromise the biome’s natural resilience, biodiversity or the livelihoods of its communities.Beyond its environmental richness, historically, the Gran Chaco has held deep cultural significance for over 27 Indigenous Peoples, including the Wichí, Toba Qom and Guarani, whose deep connection to the land has endured for centuries. This legacy of resilience and adaptation has shaped Indigenous culture and resource management in the region, underscoring the vital role of these communities in conservation and sustainability.14 While small-scale agricultural and livestock practices by Indigenous and peasant communities have traditionally upheld ecosystem sustainability, recent decades have brought significant shifts. The late 20th and early 21st centuries witnessed the rapid expansion of commercial crops, such as soybeans and extensive livestock farming15,16 across the Gran Chaco. Although this agricultural modernization has generated significant economic benefits for regional economies and nation states, it has also exacerbated deforestation, land conversion,17 environmental degradation and pressures over local communities. The Gran Chaco lost over 13 million hectares of forest between 2001 and 2023 – an area equivalent to more than 18 million football fields. The Gran Chaco: Pathways Towards a Sustainable Future 12