Labor as a driver of changes in herd feeding patterns: Evidence from a diachronic approach in Mediterranean France and lessons for agroecology
| Autor: | Jacques Lasseur, Ludovic Noel, Claire Aubron |
|---|---|
| Přispěvatelé: | Systèmes d'élevage méditerranéens et tropicaux (UMR SELMET), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro) |
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2016 |
| Předmět: |
Mediterranean climate
agroecology Economics and Econometrics [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] labor 010501 environmental sciences 01 natural sciences Agricultural economics agrarian systems Environmental protection Grazing Foothills Feeding patterns Productivity Agroecology 0105 earth and related environmental sciences General Environmental Science 2. Zero hunger geography.geographical_feature_category feed resources 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences 15. Life on land Agrarian society Geography sheep farming 040103 agronomy & agriculture Herd 0401 agriculture forestry and fisheries france |
| Zdroj: | Ecological Economics Ecological Economics, Elsevier, 2016, 127, pp.68-79. ⟨10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.02.013⟩ |
| ISSN: | 0921-8009 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.02.013⟩ |
| Popis: | Ruminant livestock farmers rely on diverse resources to feed their herds and the ways they combine these resources play a significant role from an agroecological perspective. In French Mediterranean mountainous areas, feeding patterns for sheep herds have been changing over the past decades in a manner which may not be favorable for agroecology. We hypothesize that labor plays a key role in this evolution. To test this hypothesis, we carried out observations and interviews, using the agrarian systems framework, with retired and active farmers in two areas of France. We built 7 sheep farm models and defined indicators assessing the contribution of different feed resources and the physical labor productivity in feed units in 1970 and 2013. The comparison of farm models highlights that herd growth has led to a focus on less labor-demanding feed resources, namely: (i) purchased feed in the Cevennes; (ii) meadows for single transhumance farms in the Alpine foothills; (iii) lowland winter grazing for double transhumance farms in the Alpine foothills. These changes are problematic from an agroecological perspective. This focus on labor offers a new perspective on changes in trajectories of livestock farming in the French Mediterranean region and serves as a basis for discussion on the importance of labor in agroecological transition. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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