Sustainability analysis of small ruminant farms involved in the conservation of natural resources

Sus ainabili y analysis o small uminan a ms in ol ed in he conse a ion o na u al esou ces Mena Y., Cas el J.M., Jiménez R., Ruíz F.A. in Be nués A. (ed.), Bou onne J.P. (ed.), Casasús I. (ed.), Chen ou M. (ed.), Gabiña D. (ed.), Joy M. (ed.), López-F ancos A. (ed.), Mo and-Feh P. (ed.), Pacheco F. (ed.). Economic, social and en i onmen al sus ainabili y in sheep and goa p oduc ion sys ems Za agoza : CIHEAM / FAO / CITA-DGA Op ions Médi e anéennes : Sé ie A. Séminai es Médi e anéens; n. 100 2011 pages 119-124 A icle a ailable on line / A icle disponible en ligne à l’ad esse : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- h p://om.ciheam.o g/a icle.php?IDPDF=801492 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To ci e his a icle / Pou ci e ce a icle -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mena Y., Cas el J.M., Jiménez R., Ruíz F.A. Sus ainabili y analysis o small uminan a ms in ol ed in he conse a ion o na u al esou ces. In : Be nués A. (ed.), Bou onne J.P. (ed.), Casasús I. (ed.), Chen ou M. (ed.), Gabiña D. (ed.), Joy M. (ed.), López-F ancos A. (ed.), Mo and-Feh P. (ed.), Pacheco F. (ed.). Economic, social and en i onmen al sus ainabili y in sheep and goa p oduc ion sys ems. Za agoza : CIHEAM / FAO / CITA-DGA, 2011. p. 119-124 (Op ions Médi e anéennes : Sé ie A. Séminai es Médi e anéens; n. 100) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- h p://www.ciheam.o g/ h p://om.ciheam.o g/ Op ions Médi e anéennes, A no. 100, 2011 – Economic, social and en i onmen al sus ainabili y in sheep and goa p oduc ion sys ems 119 Sus ainabili y analysis o small uminan a ms in ol ed in he conse a ion o na u al esou ces Y. Mena*, J.M. Cas el*, R. Jiménez* and F.A. Ruiz** *Á ea de P oducción Animal, Dp o Ciencias Ag o o es ales, EUITA, Uni e sidad de Se illa, C a U e a km. 1, Se illa (Spain) **Á ea de Economía y Sociología Ag a ias, IFAPA Cen o "Camino de Pu chil", Jun a de Andalucía Camino de Pu chil s/n, Apdo Co eos 2027, 18080, G anada (Spain) e-mail: [email p o ec ed] Abs ac . The En i onmen Depa men o he Go e nmen o Andalusia (Spain) has ecen ly assumed he esponsibili y o in eg a ing ex ensi e li es ock g azing as a ool o i e p e en ion. The p esen s udy aims o analyse he sus ainabili y o 60 a ms (mainly small uminan a ms) belonging o he Andalusian Ne wo k o G azed Fuel b eaks. Fa ms a e loca ed mainly in Na u al A eas o Eas e n Andalusia. 9291 goa s, 24491 ewes and 170 cows g azed in 260 km o uel b eaks. 27 a ms ha e only sheep (mainly mea pu pose), 18 only goa s (mainly dai y pu pose), 10 goa and sheep, 3 small uminan s and suckling cows and 2 small uminan s, suckling cows and Ibe ian pigs; only 4 goa a ms p oduce cheese. Mea and milk p oduc ion has a ma ked seasonal a ia ion. The eed supplied in he mange is ela i ely high, especially in goa he ds. Ha d wo k, small a m p o i abili y and lack o assu ance o a m con inui y a e he mos impo an aspec s ha nega i ely a ec he sus ainabili y o hese a ms. Fo imp o ing sus ainabili y, a me s a e o be able o exploi s eng hs, abso b shocks, adjus ollowing a dis u bance and ans o m hei a m o ake ad an age o new oppo uni ies. Keywo ds. Viabili y – Goa – Sheep – Fi e p e en ion – G azing sys ems – Ecosys em. Analyse de la du abili é des exploi a ions de pe i s uminan s impliquées dans la conse a ion des essou ces na u elles Résumé. Le Dépa emen de l’En i onnemen du Gou e nemen de l'Andalousie (Espagne) a écemmen p is la esponsabili é d’in ég e le pâ u age ex ensi dans la p é en ion des incendies. La p ésen e é ude analyse la iabili é de 60 exploi a ions (su ou des pe i es exploi a ions de uminan s) qui appa iennen au Réseau Andalou des Exploi a ions Collabo a ices au Pâ u age des Coupe- eux. Les e mes son si uées p incipalemen dans les Pa cs Na u els de l'Es de l'Andalousie. 9291 chè es, 24491 b ebis e 170 aches son en pâ u age dans 260 km de coupe- eux. 27 exploi a ions on seulemen des o ins (su ou d’ap i ude iande), 18 on seulemen des cap ins (su ou d’ap i ude lai iè e), 10 on des o ins e cap ins, 3 on des pe i s uminan s e des bo ins e 2 on des pe i s uminan s, des bo ins e des po cins de la ace Ibé ique ; il n’y a que 4 e mes qui ab iquen du omage. La p oduc ion de iande e de lai son ès saisonniè es. Les appo s d'alimen s à l’auge son ela i emen éle és, en pa iculie dans le cas des chè es. Les aspec s plus néga i emen in luen s su la du abili é des exploi a ions son : la pénibili é du a ail, la aible en abili é des pe i es exploi a ions e le manque d'assu ance de la con inui é des exploi a ions. Pou amélio e la du abili é des ces exploi a ions, les éle eu s de aien alo ise les poin s o s des sys èmes d’exploi a ion, ésis e aux di icul és, ai e des ajus emen s ap ès une pe u ba ion du sys ème e ai e des changemen s dans les exploi a ions a in de p o i e des oppo uni és. Mo s-clés. Viabili é – Chè es – B ebis – P é en ion des incendies – Sys èmes de pâ u age – Écosys ème. I – In oduc ion Small uminan sys ems ha e adi ionally been ela ed o g azing. Con olled g azing has se e al posi i e e ec s on he en i onmen , as i a ou s a wide a ie y o ege a ion, he conse a ion o a he e ogeneous landscape and he p e en ion o soil loss and o es i es, among o he s. In economically dep essed a eas, small uminan a ming also has an impo an Op ions Médi e anéennes, A no. 100, 2011 120 social unc ion ega ding ixing he popula ion and main aining adi ions (Ca alle o and Cio i, 1991). Ne e heless o he public aids and despi e he posi i e aspec s men ioned, small uminan g azing sys ems apidly end o become in ensi ied. Among he easons o he dec ease o uminan g azing sys ems a e he ollowing: he lack o shephe ds, he ising land p ices and he o e whelming emphasis on p oduc ion and e iciency. Resilience hinking, an app oach based on an unde s anding o he wo ld as a sys em ha is bo h complex and adap i e, whe e change is only cons an (Rammel e al., 2007), p oposes ha o achie e sus ainabili y, a a m mus be able o ake ad an age o cu en oppo uni ies (Da nho e e al., 2010). In his sense, he socially and economically ecogni ion o pas o alism as a ool o he managemen and conse a ion o o es and angelands can be a sou ce o income o li es ock b eede s ha collabo a e on he conse a ion o he na u al esou ces (Ruiz-Mi azo e al., 2009). The En i onmen Depa men o he Go e nmen o Andalusia (Spain) has ecen ly unde aken his ques ion and since 2006 hey pay o shephe ds (which a e in eg a ed in he Andalusian Ne wo k o G azed Fuelb eak) o he esponsibili y o in eg a ing ex ensi e li es ock g azing as a ool o i e p e en ion. Ac ually 69 a me s a e implica ed wi h 31,990 animals g azing in 2346 ha dis ibu ed in 225 uelb eak. A p elimina y economic s udy un eils ha he applica ion o his p e en ion sys em cos only an a e age o 23% o he al e na i e manual clea ing uelb eaks (Vale a-Redondo e al., 2007). These esul s show he in e es o he con inui y o hese a ms o he en i onmen al sus ainabili y o he e i o y, bu , a e hei a ms sus ainable? De ini ions o sus ainable ag icul u e usually include e e ences o inancial, en i onmen al, e hical, and social issues. In addi ion, p oduc quali y and animal wel a e should be aken in o accoun . The e alua ion o sus ainabili y o a ms should include ag o-ecological, economic and poli ical-social domains (Da nho e e al., 2010). The aim o his s udy is o do a p elimina y analysis o he sus ainabili y o a ms in eg a ed in he abo e-men ioned Ne wo k, as a p e ious s ep o a mo e comple e analysis o he sus ainabili y o he Ne wo k i sel . II – Me hodology A su ey was ca ied ou in o de o ob ain aluable in o ma ion abou he iabili y o a ms. 78% o he 69 a me s belonged o he Andalusian Ne wo k o G azed Fuelb eaks was in e iewed. 6 a ms, which p obably will soon join o he ne wo k, also we e included. In o ma ion ela i e o 48 a iables was collec ed. Va iables we e o ganized in o 7 sec ions: su ace, socioeconomic, animals, equipmen s and in as uc u es, eeding and g azing, ep oduc ion and p oduc ion and pe sonal opinion. Field wo k was ealized om May o June 2010 wi h he help o echnicians o he En i onmen Depa men in ol ed in his p ojec . III – Resul s and discussion 1. Gene al desc ip ion o a ms Majo i y o a ms a e loca ed in eas o Andalusia and hey a e mainly in eg a ed in Na u al a eas: 1 Na ional Pa k, 9 Na u e Rese es, 5 Rese es o Biosphe e and 1 Pa k a ound he ci y. Pas u ing a ea has a medium-high scope, wi h na u al Medi e anean ege a ion, whe e b ushes a e dominan . 75% o a ms do no ha e cul i a ed a eas. 87% o a me s ha e en ed lands, 5% ha e owned land and 8% use lands wi hou cos . 27 a ms ha e only sheep (mainly mea o ien ed), 18 only goa (mainly milk o ien ed), 10 goa and sheep, 3 goa and/o sheep and suckling cows and 2 all ci ed species and pigs. The Economic, social and en i onmen al sus ainabili y in sheep and goa p oduc ion sys ems 121 a e age size o lock (adul emales) is: 553 ewes, 282 goa s, 61 cows and 85 sows. Main income is gi en by ewes o by goa s (45% and 35% o a ms espec i ely). Sheep and goa s ha e simila impo ance in emaining a ms. Any a m has o he animal species o ag icul u e as main income. All a ms a e amilia en e p ises, 15 a ms ha e some kind o o ganic p oduc ion and only 4 a ms make and sell a isanal cheeses. 2. P elimina y analysis o a ms sus ainabili y A. En i onmen al analysis The numbe o g azing animals has dec eased in moun ainous a eas o Andalusia, which cons i u e a eal h ea o he main enance o he ecosys em. Fo his eason, he p omo ion o g azing has been well accep ed o nume ous na u al a eas manage s. A he momen o he in e iew, 9291 goa s, 24491 ewes and 170 cows g azed in 260 km o uelb eaks. Undoub edly, he consump ion o he ege a ion in uelb eaks will lessen he amoun o bu nable biomass and, consequen ly, will comply wi h i e p e en ion. Bu he uelb eaks su ace is no he mo e impo an pas u ing su ace in 65% o a ms which used o he g azing a eas nea o he uelb eaks. In hese a eas, pas u ing supe ised by shephe ds is ealized hough he yea . I pas u ing is adequa e (since a quan i a i e and quali a i e poin o iew) i cons i u es a bene i no only o i e p e en ion bu also o main enance o ecosys em. In his sense, i should be said ha mos o shephe ds a e oca ional ex ensi e b eede s and animal s ock a e is, in gene al, well sui ed o ecosys em ca ying capaci y (mos o he a ms ha e be ween 0.1-0.3 LU/ha). Ano he en i onmen al bene i o hese a ms is he main enance o indigenous animal b eeds and landscape. Conce ning o he o me , animals p esen in he a ms a e: Malagueña, Mu ciano-G anadina and Payoya goa s, and Segu eña and Me ina sheep, bu usually b eeds a e c ossed among hem. In ela ion o he landscape, he p esence o animals and he conse a ion o old s ables ("ap iscos") ep esen an impo an alue. B. Social analysis F om he social poin o iew, he implica ion o shephe ds in he main enance o uelb eaks has some s eng hs and weaknesses. Among he o me s is he ecogni ion o he shephe d´s wo k as some hing use ul and desi able o he ecosys em and he socie y. I should be no ed ha all a me s said hey like hei wo k, al hough 65% o hem say hey a e dissa is ied wi h hei wo k. O he s eng h is he con ibu ion o ix u al popula ion (16 a me s ha e hei homes join o a m, and o o he s, a e age dis ance om hei home o he a m is only 8.2 km) and o gene a e wo k in u al a eas ( he e is an a e age o 1.9 pe son pe a m, 75% o hem males). The e a e wo main weaknesses. The i s is he ha dness o he pas u ing: shephe d a e wi h g azing animals be ween 9-10 mo hs a yea , du ing 9.3 hou s/day (84% o his ime is in uelb eaks); a e age uelb eaks su ace is 40 ha and i s slope is medium o high in 72% o a ms. The second is he lack o con inui y: 50% o a me s will no con inue wi h he ac i i y in he medium e m, due o he lack o p o i abili y and/o hei ad anced aged (52% a e olde han 50 and only 7% a e less han 30 yea s old). C. Technical and economical analysis The analysis o his domain o he sus ainabili y equi es mo e accu a e in o ma ion, which should be ob ained by a pe iodical moni o ing. Anyway, some gene al ideas can be said om his in e iew. Animal managemen is simila o ha documen ed o goa s and sheep a ms loca ed in na u al a eas o sou h o Spain (Gaspa e al., 2008; Ruiz e al., 2008). Males and emales a e oge he only du ing ma ing season in 75% and 86% o goa and sheep locks, espec i ely. As consequence, pa u i ions a e i egula ly dis ibu ed among mon hs (Fig. 1). In gene al, and al hough animals g aze almos all he ime, eeding supplemen a ion indoo is high (Table 1), which inc eases he cos o p oduc . Op ions Médi e anéennes, A no. 100, 2011 122 Fig. 1. % o a m which has he highes numbe o bi hs in his imes e o yea . Table 1. In o ma ion o a ms in eg a ed in he Andalusian Ne wo k o G azed Fuelb eaks Main economical ac i i y o he a m† MSR DSR M&DSR Se e al Numbe o a ms 32 18 5 5 Su ace o uel b eak (ha) 42 40 36 26 Feeding indoo > 8 mon hs pe yea (% goa locks) 100 71 60 80 Feeding indoo > 6 mon hs pe yea (% sheep locks) 90 100 20 20 Has sui able animal housing (% a ms) 18 33 20 20 Has wa e supply (% a ms) 32 72 40 60 Has elec ici y supply (% a ms) 43 89 80 100 Financial suppo o o ganic p oduc ion (% a ms) 22 11 0 100 Financial suppo o indigenous b eeds (% a ms) 16 6 0 20 €/ a m ecei ed annually o g azing in uelb eak 2253 1970 2259 1856 †Mea o ien ed small uminan s (MSR), dai y o ien ed small uminan s (DSR), o ien a ion hal mea and dai y (M&DSR) and se e al animal species (Se e al). Di e ences among a m classi ied ollowing he c i e ia "main economical ac i i y o he a m" can be obse ed in Table 1. In as uc u es (elec ici y and wa e ) a e sui able o milk o ien ed a ms (mainly goa a ms) bu no o he mea o ien ed ones (mainly sheep a ms). S ables a e e y simple in all a ms, hey a e used o shel e animals and hey should o be imp o ed in majo i y o cases. In goa a ms, milking acili ies a e sui able: 82% o a ms ha e mechanical milking and 68% e ige a ion ank. Fo y pe cen o a me s belong o an associa ion di e en o a sani a y one. Comme cializa ion o mea and milk is ealized h ough coope a i es only o 13% o a me s and only h ee o hem make and sell cheese. Ne e heless, he majo i y o a me s answe ed a i ma i ely when asked i hey wan ed o make cheese o slaugh e animals in he a m. Milk and mea ha e low p ices (like in all pas o al a ms o he zone and hey a e poo ly alo ized; g azing is no ake accoun ). Remune a ion in exchange o he se ice p o ided is conside ed accep able by 56% o a me s. Almos 100% o a ms ecei ed PAC subsidies, bu e y ew o hem ecei e o he ype o inancial aids (Table 1). Economic, social and en i onmen al sus ainabili y in sheep and goa p oduc ion sys ems 123 3. Some p oposals o imp o e sus ainabili y In he esilience hinking amewo k, o inc easing sus ainabili y, a me s a e o be able o exploi s eng hs, abso b shocks, adjus ollowing a dis u bance and ans o m hei a m o ake ad an age o new oppo uni ies. Acco ding o ha , sus ainabili y o Andalusian Ne wo k o G azed Fuelb eaks could be imp o ed i : (i) Animal b eeds a e imp o ed and a me s a oid c ossings among hem. A lock composed by pu e b eeds allows a me s o ge speci ic inancial suppo om Go e nmen . (ii) T adi ional knowledge abou g azing is eco e ed and ansmi ed. In his sense, he i s Andalusian Shephe d School has been ecen ly c ea ed. A good adjus men o s ocking a e and a ep oduc i e planning may be done, which can educe he dependence o ex e nal eed and, consequen ly, he cos o he p oduc . (iii) An inc ease o he amoun emune a ed o g azing uel-b eaks should be conside ed, aking accoun he less cos o his i e p e en ion sys em compa ed wi h manual clea ing. (i ) Some echnology, like he use o GPS o g azing animals con ol, could be used o educe he ha dness o his ac i i y. ( ) An in eg al ex ension se ices is in de elopmen . I will imp o e managemen and economical ma gins, he a me quali y o li e and spa e ime o a me s o dedica e o ans o ming hei p oduc s and ob ain mo e economical bene i s. ( i) Associa ion among a me s and be ween a me s and cheese make s a e inc eased, which could imp o e he alo iza ion and p ice o g azing milk and mee . Mo e lexible s anda ds o adi ional cheese ac o ies a e, a leas , published. These las poin s will, undoub edly, inc ease he in e es o young people o his ac i i y and assu e he con inui y o a ms. IV – Conclusions The implica ion o shephe ds in he main enance o ecosys em is necessa y, bu impo an sociological and economical weaknesses and h ea s we e de ec ed. Ha dness o wo k, small a m p o i abili y and lack o assu ance o a m con inui y a e he mos impo an . To keep hese sys ems om disappea ance, all people o he sec o , echnical, poli ical and a me s mus assume he challenge o making hem mo e sus ainable. Fo eaching his goal, he ollowing commi men s should be accep ed: consume s paying ai p ices o g azing p oduc s, go e nmen suppo ing e ec i e plans o he de elopmen o he u al sec o , a me s and aine s using esou ces a ionally, and inally, esea che s and eache s wo king in eg ally on he cu en and u u e needs o pas o al a ming. Acknowledgemen s Au ho s wish o acknowledge o all membe s o EGMASA and En i onmen al Depa men o Andalusia Go e nmen implica ed in his s udy (especially o Rogelio Jiménez, Jaime Mon es, José Caballe o and Fidel Delgado). 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