Bolivia's Beni Region Grapples with Severe Flooding: Cattle at Risk as Climate Change Intensifies Crisis (April 2025)

Bolivia's Beni region is currently experiencing severe flooding due to intense rainfall, submerging grasslands and significantly impacting cattle ranching and agriculture. Approximately 200,000 cattle are at risk, and over 452,000 families have been affected since November 2024. The extreme weather is attributed to climate change, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis as residents struggle with rising waters. Ranchers are attempting to auction off livestock in Trinidad due to the lack of fodder and the difficulty of moving cattle to safer areas. Bolivia is highly vulnerable to climate change, experiencing increasingly intense rainfall and abrupt shifts from drought to heavy rains. The current crisis underscores the urgent need for climate adaptation strategies and disaster risk management to protect vulnerable communities and their livelihoods.