Life regenerate project: revitalizing multifunctional mediterranean agrosilvopastoral systems using dynamic and profitable operational practices (LIFE16ENV/ES/000276)

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Gross output and livestock sales modelling in Spanish extensive farms using PLSR

The aim of this paper is to model some production variables in extensive livestock farms located in the dehesa ecosystem. We intend to use not only purely economic variables in the construction of the model, but also structural variables in order to identify the characteristics of the farms that have the higher influence. Another objective is to be able to predict these variables at the farm level, using structural variables that are easy to measure. The data used in this work were obtained from a questionnaire survey to the holders/managers of a sample of 69 dehesa farms in Extremadura (SW Spain). The statistical methodology used for the construction of the model was Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR). It can be concluded that the variables relative to farm intensification, to labour and especially to Iberian pig breeding, are those that take part mainly in the model.dehesa, livestock farming systems, partial least square regression, gross output, Crop Production/Industries, Livestock Production/Industries, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

Conversión de sistemas de producción caprinos de áreas desfavorecidas a ganadería ecológica

INTRODUCTION: The Spanish goat sector's crisis has led to the abandonment of a large number of farms. At present, sector's expectations are reduced, which threatens farms' permanence. This in turn means a loss of agricultural biodiversity, reduced economic activity and loss of rural population. In this context, it is necessary to implement strategies to ensure farms' continuity . In this sense, the conversion to the organic model is proposed in the farms analyzed. METHODOLOGY: To study the possibility and feasibility of such conversion an analysis of their structure (technical and economic characteristics), an assessment of farms' sustainability (based on social, economic and environmental parameters) has been carried out. For this purpose, the MESMIS Framework was used

Sustainability of organic and conventional beef cattle farms in SW Spanish rangelands (‘dehesas’): a comparative study

Organic production in Spain has increased substantially in recent years due to several factors, such as the growing interest of the European Union towards preserving sensitive ecosystems; the potential role of organic production in the socio-economic development of rural areas and the growing consumers' demand for safer and higher quality foods. Within this framework, this paper analyzes the beef sector of SW Spanish rangelands (dehesas). These are traditional systems characteristic of the Iberian Peninsula where native herbaceous vegetation and evergreen species of Quercus provide the basis for extensive beef farms. Alt-hough traditional management in dehesa farms is of vital importance for the sustainability of this particular ecosystem, in the last years many farms have turned to organic production, trying to take advantage both of new subsidies and of new market trends.With this study, we try to evalu-ate the sustainability of conventional and organic beef production systems in dehesas in Extre-madura (SW Spain), trying to determine the level these systems are contributing both to the preservation of this sensitive ecosystem and to the socioeconomic development of the region. To this end, we apply a methodological adaptation of the MESMIS methodology to 90 dehesa beef farms located in Extremadura (SW Spain). MESMIS is based on the evaluation of basic attributes of sustainability that allow one to make a simultaneous and comparative analysis of different types of farms. It has been found that organic farms are the most sustainable, obtaining higher scores than con-ventional farms in stability and self-reliance, and similar scores in productivity, adaptability, and equity. Organic dehesa beef farms show little dependence on external products and services and are more adapted to their environment (lower stocking rates for an optimal use of the system's feedstuff production), those being the clues for their enhanced sustainability

Evaluación de la sostenibilidad de explotaciones caprinas extremeñas en áreas desfavorecidas como herramienta de apoyo en la conversión hacia explotaciones ecológicas.

INTRODUCTION: The Ibores-Villuercas region (located in SW Spain) is known for its dairy goat farms producing cheeses of high quality (P.D.O. Queso Ibores). The present study characterizes such farms and assess their sustainability, as a tool to determine which farms present more feasibility to carry out a conversion to the organic system. This conversion could be used as a marketing tool for these farms, and contribute to local development (both economically and socially), ensuring the maintenance of the farms and rural population while enabling the preservation of valuable landscapes. METHODOLOGY: farms where classified using cluster analysis. Later, a sustainability assessment of the clusters (groups of farms) was carried out. Finally, farms' difficulties and advantages producing under the organic model where predicted. RESULTS and DISCUSSION: 3 groups of farms were obtained. Group 1 farms were intensive ones, using highly-productive dairy breeds fed high proportion of concentrates. Group 2 were semi-extensive of higher surface and mixed with sheeps, where autochthonous and allochthonous races are reared, and management is closer to a traditional one. Finally, group 3 was a traditional one, closer to the orgnaic management, with low stocking rates and native breeds feeding local feed resources. Regarding the attributes of sustainability, group 3 showed advantages in terms of self-management, which is important under the organic system and areas of scarcity of feed resources (such as that studied)

Cattle production in agroforestry systems. An analysis on the role of intensification and dependence of subsidies

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Environmental, economic and social indicators of rural development in agroforestry areas

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Sostenibilidad ambiental de explotaciones ganaderas ecológicas y convencionales en agro-ecosistemas mediterráneos de alto valor ecológico: un estudio comparado basado en indicadores agroambientales. Environmental sustainability of organic and conventional livestock farms in a Mediterranean ecosystem of high ecological value: a comparative study based on agri-environmental indicators

This paper analyzes the beef cattle sector located in the dehesa agro-ecosystem (SW Spain). The objective is to detect the more sustainable systems based on the environmental dimension of sustainability comparing three production models. RESULTS: organic farms contribute to environmental stability to a greater extent than conventional ones due to the implementation of certain farming practices. Organic farms (mainly the 'Organic 2' group of farms) do not use pesticides nor chemical fertilizers and present greater integration of livestock species, crops and trees, which has positive environmental and economic effects. This integration allows better use of food resources and conservation of the heterogeneity of landscapes, conserving natural resources and promoting ecosystem services. Coupled with this, the reduced preventive use of parasiticides and antibiotics increases the resilience of livestock and reduce environmental pollution and antibiotic resistance. In this sense, organic farms (both 'Organic1' and 'Organic 2') showed the highest scores for sustainability. No significant differences were observed in manure management. This aspect was due to the extensification of dehesa farms, which prevents the accumulation of manure in a given area. Then grazing lead to improving soil quality and reduces nutrient leaching. Regarding soil and crops management, any group of farms showed to carry out more environmentally agricultural practices (i.e. conservative agriculture, etc.). This could be due to poor training and awareness of managers with regard to this technical area, as well as an importance lack of association between crops and livestock. It has been observed that Organic 2 farms had higher scores than those belonging to both the Conventional and the Organic 1 groups. This reason was the higher proportion of wooded area in Organic 2 farms. Finally, Organic 2 farms had the best scores with regard to both the use of autochthonous breeds and the integration of different livestock species

The role of the level of intensification, productive orientation and self-reliance in extensive beef cattle farms

Highlights •The identification of the livestock production systems (LPS) existing in a given area constitutes the first step to manage farms sustainably. •Management and structure of dehesa beef cattle farms positioned them in a good place regarding PAC's trends (mainly in terms of environmental protection). •Farms should reduce their dependence on external workforce and subsidies, and increase their productivity and economic performance. •The latter could be achieved adding value to the products sold, i.e. finishing more calves, developing new products and/or participating in marketing. •It has not been observed a high relationship between farms the typologies obtained from the analysis of technical-economic aspects, and the previously established groups of farms based on their condition of being organic and productive orientation. Abstract The identification of the livestock production systems (LPS) existing in a given area constitutes the first step to manage farms sustainably, since it improves the knowledge of its operation and subsequently allows for establishing the appropriate managerial strategies for each LPS. It is of great interest, as LPS are key for agro-ecosystem conservation and rural population in many areas. The present study was conducted in light of the importance of the beef cattle sector for one of the oldest and most heavily protected agroforestry systems (‘dehesa’, SW Spain and Portugal). A total of 63 beef cattle farms (including organic and conventional ones) were analysed from the structural and technical-economic points of view, aiming to: (i) improve the knowledge of the dehesa beef cattle sector; (ii) define specific managerial strategies tailored to each typology (LPS) in order to increase their sustainability as well as that of the dehesa ecosystem; (iii) clarify whether there is a relationship between the typologies obtained on the basis of technical-economic indicators and a previous classification of the farms based on their condition of being organic, and their productive and market orientation. For this purpose, the analysis paid special attention to the level of intensification, productive orientation (presence of a calf-finishing period) and self-reliance (related to their dependence on subsidies). The methodology yielded the following four typologies: (i) extensive farms selling at weaning with low productivity; (ii) extensive farms with low productivity and high dependence on subsidies; (iii) calf-finishing farms with average stocking rates and high profitability; (iv) irrigated farms with low presence of livestock, and high fixed capital and economic fluxes. In general terms, management and structure of dehesa beef cattle farms positioned them in a good place regarding CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) trends (mainly in terms of environmental protection). However, the farms studied must improve several aspects. Firstly, they need to increase their degree of self-reliance (reducing their dependence on external workforce and subsidies). Secondly, their productivity and economic performance must also be increased. The latter could be achieved by adding value to the products being sold, i.e. finishing more calves, developing new products and/or participating in marketing. Generally speaking, a close relationship between farm typologies and the previously established groups of farms (Conventional, Organic 1 and Organic 2) has not been observed. This was due to the similarities between organic and conventional farms in the context of the dehesas with regard to indicators used in the present study

Gross output and livestock sales modelling in Spanish extensive farms using PLSR

The aim of this paper is to model some production variables in extensive livestock farms located in the dehesa ecosystem. We intend to use not only purely economic variables in the construction of the model, but also structural variables in order to identify the characteristics of the farms that have the higher influence. Another objective is to be able to predict these variables at the farm level, using structural variables that are easy to measure. The data used in this work were obtained from a questionnaire survey to the holders/managers of a sample of 69 dehesa farms in Extremadura (SW Spain). The statistical methodology used for the construction of the model was Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR). It can be concluded that the variables relative to farm intensification, to labour and especially to Iberian pig breeding, are those that take part mainly in the model