• fr
  • en

What European policy frameworks to support pastoralism?

Over the past decades, the abandonment of mountainous areas has largely been due to the reduction in the number of pastoral farms and shepherds. In the last months, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the PASTRES project released new reports to address the topic from the policy side and explain how policy frameworks should support pastoralism.

 

A long-lasting worrying trend of pastoral activities

Pastoralism is crucial to maintain mountain areas liveable and productive. As reported by the OREKA MENDIAN study, livestock production – in particular meat and dairy – accounts for 54% of the turnover of mountain farms at global level.

Yet, pastoral practices are today put highly in danger due by socio-economic changes, such as land use pressures and the globalisation of food markets, and climate change. Over the past decades, the decrease of pastoral farms contributed to lead to the desertification of mountain areas at worrying rates. For instance, some regions like Scotland experienced percentual reduction in the number of sheep equivalent to 27%, and 11% in cattle over the 2000-2010 period.

 

What is the role of policy framework?

Policy frameworks has the central role to support pastoral activities by making them economically viable and able to offset the ongoing socio-environmental challenges. In this direction, the PASTRES project published an analysis of policy frameworks that impact pastoral areas in Europe.

As argued in the PASTRES report, European policies recognize “its precious and irreplaceable role for several environmental, economic, and cultural benefits” and they support it in mountain areas through the payments for Areas with Natural Constraints and the “Farm to Fork” strategy. However, the report claims that in practice the EU institutional architecture and the Common Agricultural Policy is still more likely to favour the intensification of livestock production rather than pastoralism and is one of the main uncertainties for shepherds.

Alongside, the recent report of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) “Making way: developing national legal and policy frameworks for pastoral mobility”, claims that worldwide the policy frameworks insufficiently recognize the role of pastoralism and define supportive policy frameworks to address the pastoral mobility.

 

What are the conclusions?

Both reports come to the conclusion that at European and global level, the benefits of pastoral activities for the whole society shall be better acknowledge by policy frameworks. In practice, this shall translate in legislations that simplify and support the work and lives of shepherds and pastoral systems. These legislations shall develop based on the current analysis of good and bad practices, as presented in the PASTRES and FAO reports, as well as by the OREKA MENDIAN study. To this end, the promotion of an EU Action Plan for Pastoralism could go in this direction and concretely strengthen the measures to support pastoral activities at European level.

Share
11 March 2022

Euromontana sur Facebook

4 hours ago

Euromontana
We were today at the European Committee of the Regions too meet with regional policymakers from the Carpathians ⛰🤝 Thank you to Witold Kozłowski from the Małopolska region - also a new member of our Board of Directors - for our discussions!𝗪𝘀𝗽𝗼́𝗹𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗠𝗮ł𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝘀𝗸𝗶 𝗶 𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗶 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗻𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗿. 👍Obecność wicemarszałka Witold Kozłowski w Brukseli podczas 163. Sesji Plenarnej Europejskiego Komitetu Regionów dała okazję do spotkania z dyrektorem Europejskiego Stowarzyszenia Obszarów Górskich Euromontana Guillaume Corradino. | Więcej 👇 ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

1 day ago

Euromontana
One month since the #mountainconvention2024 in Puigcerdà! 🏔️ What future for #mountaineconomies? Find all the key insights in the event report! 📝🙏 Thank you to all stakeholders who shared their ideas, projects and recommendations for a brighter future in the mountains!Report 🔗 www.euromontana.org/outcomes ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

3 days ago

Euromontana
Explore the new guide on ‘rural proofing for the evaluation of the rural perspective in laws, policies, plans and strategies’: bit.ly/3O995FiPublished by the Red Española de Desarrollo Rural (REDR), it intends to support authorities in incorporating a rural angle when designing, implementing, and reviewing policies and regulations.Find more information here: bit.ly/4ev41FK #RuralPact #RuralVisionEUELARD aisbl EESC - European Economic and Social Committee European Rural Development Network ODRAZ-Održivi razvoj zajednice Prepare AISBL Luonnonvarakeskus Smeunited Euromontana Diesis Network Wallonie.be ECOLISE EU CAP Network Netzwerk Zukunftsraum Land Vlaams Ruraal Netwerk Réseau wallon PAC Ruralni razvoj RH Ministerstvo zemědělství Netwerk Platteland / Netherlands Rural Network Maaeluvõrgustik Maaseutu - Tilaa elämälle Réseau national Agricultures et Ruralités 2023 - 2027 Deutsche Vernetzungsstelle Ländliche Räume Εθνικό Αγροτικό Δίκτυο - Greek National Rural Network Magyar Nemzeti Vidéki Hálózat CAP Network Ireland Rete Rurale Nazionale Lauku tīkls Ministère de l'Agriculture, de l'Alimentation et de la Viticulture Fondi.eu Krajowa Sieć Obszarów Wiejskich+ Rede Rural Nacional Rețeaua Rurală Națională - RRN Mreža za podeželje ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

2 weeks ago

Euromontana
Today, members of the Rural Pact Coordination Group (RPCG) meet online to discuss: • The forthcoming RPCG Declaration on the future of EU rural policy, which addresses the open questions in the @European Commission’s ‘key achievements and ways forward’ report;• RPCG members’ position papers on the future of Europe’s rural areas;• RPCG members’ role in the Rural Pact Conference of April 2025;• Members’ actions to date & the Rural Pact Support Office 2025 work programme.More information at: bit.ly/4fwtjnS#RuralPact #RuralVisionEU ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

Euromontana sur Twitter