Livestock Science

Volume 139, Issues 1–2, July 2011, Pages 44-57📷

Sustainability of pasture-based livestock farming systems in the European Mediterranean context: Synergies and trade-offs☆

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2011.03.018Get rights and content

Abstract : The sustainability of livestock farming systems (LFS) in relation to global concerns about climate change, population dynamics and the quality of the agro-ecosystem services that are provided to society and their trade-offs has become a fundamental issue for public and scientific debate. However, LFS differ widely in terms of the use of resources, degree of intensification, species and orientation of production, local/regional socio-economic and market context, cultural roles, etc. Therefore, we need to disaggregate livestock farming systems when analysing any aspect of sustainability.

This paper discusses low-input pasture-based farming systems (meat sheep and beef cattle) located in mountainous and other less favoured areas of the European Mediterranean basin. We first describe their recent evolution in terms of the level of intensification and structural, economic, social and environmental factors at the farm level, paying special attention to critical points of sustainability. Despite the diversity encountered, there are some common factors that threaten their future, such as an excessive dependency on premiums, the lack of generational turnover due to a number of increasingly influential social factors and a continuous process of abandonment of large marginal areas and concentration in more favourable areas. Next, we depict some relevant synergies and trade-offs between a number of factors that we have previously described, taking into account the wider socio-economic environment in which farms operate. Pasture-based LFS can satisfy societal demands (for public goods such as landscape and biodiversity or ethical concerns about food production) and are less vulnerable to market changes. However, they are not paid for the environmental services they deliver, they suffer displacement by other economic activities, and they are very sensitive to climate change scenarios. We also point out a number of options for designing and implementing more sustainable pasture-based LFS under very uncertain circumstances; the concepts of resilience, adaptive capacity and self-sufficiency are discussed within this context. Finally, we summarise some areas for future research: –valuation and integration of positive externalities of pasture-based LFS in an analytical sustainability frameworks and management tools, –assessment of the diversity of systems, the impact they generate and the public goods they deliver, –analysis of complex relationships between intensification of production, dependence on off-farm/on-farm inputs, productivity and working conditions, –consideration of the social factors that determine continuity and working conditions, –and the necessity of performing dynamic studies that allow the understanding and anticipation of change.

Livestock Production Science

Volume 80, Issues 1–2, March 2003, Pages 17-31📷

Contribution of organic farming to increase sustainability of Mediterranean small ruminants livestock systems,ttps://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(02)00316-0Get rights and content

Abstract: The aim of the paper is to evaluate the feasibility and constraints of organic farming to increase the sustainability of Mediterranean small ruminant livestock systems. The paper analyzes the factors affecting sustainability of small ruminant livestock systems in the Mediterranean basin, such as seasonal forage availability or suboptimal pasture utilisation due to overgrazing but also the factor of undergrazing. The paper considers how the application of practices of organic farming may contribute to promoting sustainable land use and improving environment conservation, animal welfare, and product quality. Also the prospects of new information-based technologies, like geographic information systems and global positioning systems, to improve sustainability are presented. A model of pasture-based dairy sheep production system is proposed, with special emphasis on the organisation of a farm forage system to meet animal nutritional requirement. Some options for an integrated strategy for the control of parasitic disease in small ruminant production systems are discussed. These are based on a combination of general prevention methods (i.e. risk control and identification), grazing management (i.e. multifunctional grassland management), nonchemical treatments (i.e. homeopathic herbal preparations) and novel approaches (i.e. biological control and bioactive forages). Comparative effects of phytotherapy and conventional treatment on dairy sheep helminthic disease and on metabolic status and animal welfare are presented.

The prospects of organic farming are of particular interest for the less favoured Mediterranean areas, where it may contribute to the safeguard of agricultural functions, like care and preservation of landscape, and safeguarding of rural villages with positive effects on the quality of life in rural communities. Some activities would be particularly appropriate in natural parks, where small ruminants and other domestic animals interact with wildlife and where biodiversity must be preserved.

For positive results a new collaborative decision-making process is required between rural and urban communities, businesses and government. In addition, strong supports from scientific research and the extension services are needed to correct and fully utilize new information technologies to exploit the magnitude and potential of organic farming for enhancement of sustainable small ruminant production systems in the Mediterranean region.

Dear Kathrin

may be This paper is useful for you

in the link http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/info/pubs/docs/biogeos/Mediterranean.pdf

You can read the works the Enric Tello, Gloria Guzmán and Manolo González de Molina

You may be interested in Rainfed Farming Systems Editors: Tow, P., Cooper, I., Partridge, I., Birch, C. (Eds.) http://www.springer.com/gp/book/9781402091315

Particularly chapter 15

Rainfed Farming Systems in the West Asia–North Africa (WANA) Region

Ryan, John

You can see

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Manuel_Molina4

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eduardo_Aguilera3