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Assessment of the Sustainability of Extensive Livestock Farms on the Common Grasslands of the Natural Park Sierra de Grazalema

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  • Cipriano Díaz-Gaona

    (Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Manuel Sánchez-Rodríguez

    (Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Vicente Rodríguez-Estévez

    (Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain)

Abstract

The communal pastures of the Natural Park Sierra de Grazalema are grazed by a total of 23 extensive herds, of which 75% are certified as organic, although only 39% are subsidized for being organic. In a previous research work, these farms were characterized and classified into four typologies: group 1 (farms of intermediate size and without sheep), group 2 (large and very extensive farms), group 3 (farms with sheep suitable for both meat and milk) and group 4 (farms with dairy goat milk and without cattle). In this article, the sustainability of these farms is evaluated and compared based on their organic orientation (whether they are organic or conventional) and their typology (the four typologies indicated), as a tool for decision-making in the management of this natural protected area. To do so, 49 sustainability indexes have been generated, grouped into five attributes: adaptability, self-management, equity, stability, and productivity. The results indicate that, at the global level, there are no significant differences in sustainability between the organic and conventional farms studied. In contrast, depending on the typologies, the results indicate that group 3 is the most sustainable, followed by groups 1 and 4, with group 2 being the one with the lowest level of sustainability. Taking into account that there are a reduced number of herds grazing in this natural park, it is essential to solve the weaknesses of these farms in order to guarantee that they continue to maintain environmental equilibrium in the grasslands.

Suggested Citation

  • Cipriano Díaz-Gaona & Manuel Sánchez-Rodríguez & Vicente Rodríguez-Estévez, 2021. "Assessment of the Sustainability of Extensive Livestock Farms on the Common Grasslands of the Natural Park Sierra de Grazalema," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:1818-:d:495486
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fabian Cruz & Yolanda Mena & Vicente Rodriguez-Estevez, 2018. "Methodologies for Assessing Sustainability in Farming Systems," Chapters, in: Soner Gokten & Pinar Okan Gokten (ed.), Sustainability Assessment and Reporting, IntechOpen.
    2. Martin, Guillaume & Barth, Kerstin & Benoit, Marc & Brock, Christopher & Destruel, Marie & Dumont, Bertrand & Grillot, Myriam & Hübner, Severin & Magne, Marie-Angélina & Moerman, Marie & Mosnier, Clai, 2020. "Potential of multi-species livestock farming to improve the sustainability of livestock farms: A review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    3. Alfredo J. Escribano, 2016. "Beef Cattle Farms’ Conversion to the Organic System. Recommendations for Success in the Face of Future Changes in a Global Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-23, June.
    4. Franco, Juan Agustín & Gaspar, Paula & Mesias, Francisco Javier, 2012. "Economic analysis of scenarios for the sustainability of extensive livestock farming in Spain under the CAP," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 120-129.
    5. Cipriano Díaz-Gaona & Manuel Sánchez-Rodríguez & Thais Rucabado-Palomar & Vicente Rodríguez-Estévez, 2019. "A Typological Characterization of Organic Livestock Farms in the Natural Park Sierra de Grazalema Based on Technical and Economic Variables," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-18, October.
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