scholarly journals Assessment of Sustainability of Dairy Sheep Farms in Castilla y León (Spain) Based on the MESMIS Method

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Hidalgo-González ◽  
M. Pilar Rodríguez-Fernández ◽  
Javier Plaza-Martín ◽  
Carlos Palacios-Riocerezo
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Sustainability Indicators ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Dairy Sheep ◽  
Castilla Y Leon ◽  
Methodological Tool ◽  
Intensive Group ◽  
Livestock System

A livestock system is a productive unit, but in addition, if it pursues an optimal use of natural resources, it can increase overall sustainability. In order to evaluate the fulfillment of this objective, it is necessary to carry out a diagnosis of the system to describe and evaluate its degree of sustainability. One methodological option for this diagnosis is the construction of sustainability indicators. The MESMIS method is a methodological tool that analyses the interrelations between the results of the environmental, social and economic dimensions through a battery of indicators. The aim of this work is to assess the sustainability, using the MESMIS methodology, of different management systems of a sample of dairy sheep farms in Castilla y León (Spain). In general, the semi-extensive group obtained the highest overall score (8.40), and the intensive group achieved the highest volume of productivity. In conclusion, semi-extensive systems were more sustainable than intensive or semi-intensive systems in all attributes, especially those related to stability, adaptability and equity.

Where, and how, do monitoring and sustainability indicators fit into environmental management systems?

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Carruthers ◽  
G. Tinning
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Resource Management ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
Sustainability Indicators ◽  
Iso 14001 ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Environmental Management Systems ◽  
Market Place ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Past Experiences

Despite the availability of numerous 'sustainability indicators' (as defined by researchers and resource-management agency staff), many farmers do not routinely use these indicators for monitoring and measurement of their everyday farm management. Farmers' past experiences with such indicators have often been through their use by researchers (trying to evaluate effects of management or quantify resource condition changes) or other external bodies (usually regulatory agencies endeavouring to regulate environmental impacts). Such experiences have added little or nothing to on-farm management. Rather, farmers often rely on a diverse range of personally relevant indicators to assess the performance of their farm business. Such indicators may not be recognised by others as indicative of sustainability. The process used in environmental management systems (EMS) implementation is predicated on the need for information to flow back to the manager to assist their management choices. In this way, the indicators of most use are those that the manager can determine and utilise. This paper describes the connection between environmental management systems, monitoring and indicators, and the importance of these linkages to the efficient and sustainable management of natural resources. It discusses a collaborative project between in New South Wales and Queensland grain farmers, and NSW Agriculture, to develop generic EMS guidelines based on the international standard for EMS, ISO 14001. While there are numerous recommended sustainability indicators, research with these farmers has found that it is more critical to determine which issues are of importance to the farmers and identify potential indicators they will utilise, rather than to recommend a prescribed suite of indicators. In some cases, these indicators may be of a larger-scale than just their property.Different users of resource-management information will require different indicators. The use of the EMS process provides structure and guidance in determining which of the plethora of indicators might be applicable, while allowing farmers to maximise benefits in the market place or the community. Resource-management agencies and customers may require a different suite of indicators. The use of EMS assists in streamlining all these demands, while keeping the focus on the management approaches required to achieve the greatest benefit for the manager.

scholarly journals Nutritional Management of The Transhumant Sheep and Goat in Greece

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Siasiou ◽  
Ioannis Mitsopoulos ◽  
Konstantinos Galanopoulos ◽  
Vasiliki Lagka
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Production System ◽  
Parametric Analysis ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Nutritional Management ◽  
Dairy Sheep ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Extensive Farming ◽  
Goat Farming ◽  
Non Parametric

In Mediterranean countries dairy sheep and goat farming is based on grazing even though production system can vary from extensive, where nutrition is based on the exploitation of natural resources, to intensive, where nutrition can be a combination of grazing and parallel supplementation of feed.  Transhumance is an extensive farming system where herds are moved to uplands in order to exploit the mountainous rangelands. Purpose of this paper was to study the nutritional management of transhumant sheep and goat herds in Greece. Non parametric analysis was performed to a sample of 551 transhumant herds. The results revealed differences of the nutritional management performed between different species and breeds of the reared animals. More specifically nutrition of goats and indigenous mountainous breeds was based mainly on grazing even to lowlands while nutrition of sheep and improved dairy breeds tended to be more integrated with combination of grazing to supplementation of feed.     

scholarly journals Sustainability indicators of the Brazil nut tree management

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Fernanda Lopes da Fonseca ◽  
Oscar José Rover ◽  
Lucia Helena de Oliveira Wadt ◽  
Cleisa Brasil da Cunha Cartaxo
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Production ◽  
Sustainability Indicators ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Product Management ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
Brazil Nut ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
System Sustainability ◽  
Traditional Activity

Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl) management, is a traditional activity that plays a key role in the economy of forestbased Amazon communities and in the conservation of forests. Nevertheless, some threats and critical points related to sustainability indicate to the need for establishment of monitoring procedures that can assist in the management of this natural resource. The overall aim of the research was to evaluate the MESMIS method as a tool to support the participatory definition of sustainability indicators to monitor Brazil nut management, and the viability of Brazil nut harvest over time. For that, we carried out a case study in the Porvir Community, RESEX Chico Mendes, Acre State (Brazil), aiming to integrate the perceptions of Brazil nut harvesters, researchers, managers, and technicians to define the indicators. The result was the generation of 18 strategic indicators to assess sustainability in the environmental, technical-economic and social dimensions. Assessment parameters, representing conditions that must be achieved for system sustainability, were collectively defined for each indicator. The main critical values attributed in the evaluation of the indicators are related to Brazil nut commercialization to intermediaries and oscillation in the annual fruit production. The use of the MESMIS method was considered appropriate to the studied context and can be recommended to similar non-timber forest product management systems.

scholarly journals Milk Quality and Carbon Footprint Indicators of Dairy Sheep Farms Depend on Grazing Level and Identify the Different Management Systems

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1426
Author(s):  
Javier Plaza ◽  
Isabel Revilla ◽  
Jaime Nieto ◽  
Cristina Hidalgo ◽  
Mario Sánchez-García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Tocopherol Content ◽  
Milk Quality ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Dairy Sheep ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Omega 3 Fatty Acid ◽  
Level Cluster

Currently, there are very few studies in the dairy sheep sector associating milk quality and indicators regarding carbon footprint and their link to grazing levels. For 1 year, monthly milk samples and records related to environmental emissions and management systems were collected through surveys from 17 dairy sheep farms in the region of Castilla y León (Spain), in order to relate this information to the use of natural pastures under free grazing. Indicators were constructed on the collected data and subjected to a multivariate statistical procedure that involved a factor analysis, a cluster analysis and a population canonical analysis. By applying multivariate statistical techniques on milk quality and carbon footprint indicators, it was possible to identify the management system of the farms. From an environmental point of view, farms with a higher grazing level (cluster 4) were more sustainable, as they had the lowest carbon footprint (lower CO2, N2O and CO2 equivalent emissions per sheep and year) and the lowest energy consumption levels, which were gradually lower than those of farms in cluster 3; both indicators were much lower than those of farms in clusters 1 and 2. The milk quality of cluster 1 and 2 farms was significantly lower in terms of total protein and fat content, dry extract, omega-3 fatty acid levels and α-tocopherol content than farms in clusters 3 and 4, which had higher accessibility to grazing resources. In sum, the higher the use of natural resources, the lower the external inputs the farms required and the lower environmental impact and energy costs they have.

scholarly journals The Ecosystem Services Benchmark

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margot Hill ◽  
Ivo Mulder ◽  
Annelisa Grigg ◽  
Zoe Cullen ◽  
Jack Foxall
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Strategic Framework ◽  
Future Performance ◽  
Key Factor

The impacts and dependences of companies on natural resources is a key factor for their future performance. The new Ecosystem Services Benchmark identifies risks and performances of companies and provides a strategic framework on the issue, often overlooked in established management systems.

scholarly journals PRODUCTION AND DESIGN SYSTEM IN THE TERRITORY OF VITICULTURE

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 208-218
Author(s):  
Cláudia Brazil Marques ◽  
Dr. Fabrício Moraes de Almeida ◽  
Carlos Alberto Paraguassú-Chaves ◽  
Carla Dolezel Trindade ◽  
Simão Aznar Filho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Design System ◽  
Wine Production ◽  
Cultivation System ◽  
Descriptive Case Study ◽  
History Of ◽  
Biodynamic Agriculture

The cultivation of vineyards is connected with the history of humanity and with the transformations of spaces and places that in a dynamic and harmonious way provide enchantment and the production of a secular product. With the evolution of the market and changes in natural resources, a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to the cultivation of vineyards became necessary, be it in the revision, management systems and also, particularities of each soil, relief, climate, landscape to design a system for growing vines. The aim of the study: to characterize the design of the biodynamic vineyard. To this end, a descriptive case study with qualitative analysis was carried out, interviews were conducted with two owners who use the cultivation system, biodynamic agriculture. It is concluded that the need to plan the vineyard requires holistic knowledge of the entire wine production system

scholarly journals Reflections on collectively working toward sustainability: indicators for indicators!

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Freebairn ◽  
C. A. King
Keyword(s):  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Nutrient Balance ◽  
Sustainability Indicators ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Participatory Learning ◽  
Erosion Hazard ◽  
General Overview ◽  
Salinity Hazard ◽  
Indicator Development

A variety of indicators have been developed and applied by farmers and scientists for the northern cereal belt. A general overview is presented of 'What are we trying to monitor?' followed by some example concepts; erosion hazard, salinity hazard, nutrient balance, production efficiency and participatory learning. These examples illustrate the complexity of indicator application and their dependence on context, purpose and scale. Emphasis is given to providing a rationale for developing indicators that focus on 'soft' system status (e.g. behaviour) as well as 'hard' system status. The propositions put forward are that indicators need to be integrated with the development of improved management systems, and that land managers (and community) as a collective, are key to this process. Some frequently asked questions about indicator development and application are responded to. Some 'Indicators for Indicators' that we have found useful in aiding indicator development, particularly in participatory fora are presented.

scholarly journals Community knowledge and sustainable natural resources management: learning from the Monpa of Arunachal Pradesh

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranjay K. Singh ◽  
Amish K. Sureja
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Arunachal Pradesh ◽  
Adaptive Responses ◽  
Specific Knowledge ◽  
Community Knowledge ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Management Learning ◽  
Conservation Of Natural Resources

Community knowledge and local institutions play a significant role in sustainable comanagement, use and conservation of natural resources. Looking to the importance of these resources, a project, funded by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF), Ahmedabad, India was implemented to document the community knowledge associated with agriculture and natural resources in few selected Monpa tribe dominating villages of West Kameng and Tawang Districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Dynamics of various indigenous practices, gender role, culture and informal rural social institutions, cultural edges significantly contribute in managing and using the natural resources sustainably. Experiential learning and location specific knowledge play a pivotal role in ecosystem sustainability. Study also indicates the synergistic relation existing between local knowledge and ecological edges, thereby helping in sustaining livelihood in high altitude. Indigenous resource management systems are not mere traditions but adaptive responses that have evolved over time.

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