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Caught in a Deadlock: Small Ruminant Farming on the Greek Island of Samothrace. The Importance of Regional Contexts for Effective EU Agricultural Policies

Author

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  • Dominik Noll

    (Institute of Social Ecology (SEC), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Schottenfeldgasse 29, 1070 Vienna, Austria)

  • Christian Lauk

    (Institute of Social Ecology (SEC), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Schottenfeldgasse 29, 1070 Vienna, Austria)

  • Veronika Gaube

    (Institute of Social Ecology (SEC), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Schottenfeldgasse 29, 1070 Vienna, Austria)

  • Dominik Wiedenhofer

    (Institute of Social Ecology (SEC), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Schottenfeldgasse 29, 1070 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

Sedentary extensive small ruminant farming systems are highly important for the preservation of High Nature Value (HNV) farmland. Both the abandonment of grazing and overgrazing have led to environmental degradation in many Mediterranean regions. On the Greek island of Samothrace, decades of overgrazing by sheep and goats has caused severe degradation of local ecosystems. The present study highlights the importance of regional contexts for national and EU agricultural policies in regard to sustainable development of sedentary extensive livestock systems. By utilizing the conceptual framework of socio-ecological systems research, we analyze the interdependencies of environmental, economic and social factors on a local island level. Results show that between 1929 and 2016, the livestock and land-use system of Samothrace transformed from a diverse system towards a simplified system, solely used for small ruminant production. Total livestock units increased from 2200 in 1929 to 7850 in 2002, declining to 5100 thereafter. The metabolic analysis conducted for the years 1993–2016 shows that 80–90% of the feed demand of small ruminants was covered by grazing, exceeding available grazing resources for at least a decade. The regional implementation of CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) continues to support excessively high animal numbers, while farmers are highly dependent on subsidies and find themselves in an economic deadlock.

Suggested Citation

  • Dominik Noll & Christian Lauk & Veronika Gaube & Dominik Wiedenhofer, 2020. "Caught in a Deadlock: Small Ruminant Farming on the Greek Island of Samothrace. The Importance of Regional Contexts for Effective EU Agricultural Policies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-19, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:762-:d:311242
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Dominik Noll & Christian Lauk & Willi Haas & Simron Jit Singh & Panos Petridis & Dominik Wiedenhofer, 2022. "The sociometabolic transition of a small Greek island: Assessing stock dynamics, resource flows, and material circularity from 1929 to 2019," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(2), pages 577-591, April.
    2. Marina Fischer-Kowalski & Markus Löw & Dominik Noll & Panos Petridis & Nikolaos Skoulikidis, 2020. "Samothraki in Transition: A Report on a Real-World Lab to Promote the Sustainability of a Greek Island," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-23, March.
    3. Vassiliki Vlami & Jan Danek & Stamatis Zogaris & Eirini Gallou & Ioannis P. Kokkoris & George Kehayias & Panayotis Dimopoulos, 2020. "Residents’ Views on Landscape and Ecosystem Services during a Wind Farm Proposal in an Island Protected Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-18, March.
    4. Jongen, Marjan & Noll, Dominik & Maskalidis, Giorgos & Domingos, Tiago & Fischer-Kowalski, Marina, 2024. "Changing pasture management practices on the Greek island of Samothraki: Obstacles and opportunities," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).

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