domestic animal biodiversity conservation in the european union giovanni signorello giuseppe cucuzza...

DOMESTIC ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

GIOVANNI SIGNORELLO GIUSEPPE CUCUZZA and

GIOACCHINO PAPPALARDO

UNIVERSITY OF CATANIA


IN THIS PAPER WE EXAMINE THE CONTENT OF FARM ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION MEASURES IMPLEMENTATED IN EUROPEAN UNION IN APPLICATION OF EU REGULATION 1257/99 UNDER THE FRAMEWORK OF AGENDA 2000.

THE RATIONAL FOR THE STUDY IS TO OFFER SOME RESPONSE INDICATORS PERTINENT TO LIVESTOCK BIODIVERSITY.

TO PURSUE THIS OBJECTIVE, WE SURVEYED 69 RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS (RDPs) SET UP IN EACH OF EU MEMBER’S STATE.

THE ANALYSIS FOCUSED ON SIX LIVESTOCK MAMMALIAN SPECIES: ASSES, CATTLE, GOATS, HORSES, PIGS and SHEEP.

THE STARTING POINT FOR OUR INVESTIGATION WAS THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS DIVERSITY-INFORMATION SYSTEM (DAD-IS) FAO.

WE COMPARED BREEDS INCLUDED IN THE DAD-IS FAO DATABASE WITH BREEDS ENTERED IN THE VARIOUS RDPs.

THIS COMPARISON ALLOWED US TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIES IN CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN EACH COUNTRY

DOMESTIC ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY INDICATORS IN THE EUROPEAN UNIONSTATE INDICATOR

The main widely reported state indicator pertinent to livestock biodiversity is the list provided by FAO through the program “DOMESTIC ANIMALS DIVERSITY–INFORMATION SYSTEM” (DAD-IS).

DAD-IS monitors worldwide breeds and classifies them in seven risk categories:

EXTINCT: indicates a breed where it is no longer possible to recreate the breed population.

CRITICAL: a breed where the total number of breeding females is less than 100 or the total number of breeding males is less than or equal to five.

ENDANGERED: a breed where the total number of breeding females is between 100 and 1000 or the total number of breeding males is less than or equal to 20 and greater than five.

CRITICAL - MAINTAINED and ENDANGERED - MAINTAINED: categories where critical or endangered breeds are being maintained by an active public conservation programme.

NOT A RISK: a breed where the total number of breeding females and males is greater than 1000 and 20 respectively.

UNKNOWN: a breed where no data are available.


THE EUROPEAN UNION PURSUES THE CBD RECCOMENDATIONS (RIO DE

JANEIRO, 1992) BY EU REGULATION 1257/99 AND 445/02 IN THE FRAMEWORK OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS (RDPs).

In this paper we examined sixty-nine RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS set up in EU Member State.

THE ANALYSIS FOCUSED ON SIX LIVESTOCK MAMMALIAN SPECIES:

1) ASSES2) CATTLE3) GOATS4) HORSES5) PIGS6) SHEEP

The starting point for investigation was the DOMESTIC ANIMALS DIVERSITY – INFORMATION SYSTEM (DAD-IS) FAO database.

WE COMPARED BREEDS INCLUDED IN THE DAD-IS FAO DATABASE WITH BREEDS ENTERED IN THE VARIOUS RDPs.

LIVESTOCK BIODIVERSITY INDICATORS IN THE EUROPEAN UNIONRESPONSE INDICATOR

IN OUR ANALYSIS WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ONLY BREEDS INCLUDED IN THE

CRITICAL, ENDANGERED, CRITICAL–MAINTAINED AND ENDANGERED–MAINTAINED CATEGORIES, AND BREEDS INCLUDED IN THE NOT-AT-RISK CATEGORY BUT WITH A POPULATION SHOWING A DECREASING TREND.

IN THE EUROPEAN UNION THE TOTAL NUMBER OF LOCAL BREEDS AT RISK OF

EXTINCTION IS 773:

CRITICAL CATEGORY: 172 breedsENDANGERED CATEGORY: 302 breedsCRITICAL – MAINTAINED: 39 breeds

ENDANGERED – MAINTAINED: 105 breeds

IT IS WORTHWHILE TO NOTE THAT IN THE EUROPEAN UNION THERE ARE CURRENTLY AT LEAST 155 LOCAL BREEDS NOT A RISK OF EXTINCTION BUT WITH A DECREASING TREND IN POPULATION SIZE.

IN TERMS OF SPECIES THE NUMBERS OF BREEDS AT RISK BELONGS TO:

SHEEP: 223 HORSES: 200 CATTLE: 190

PIG: 79 GOATS: 69 ASSES: 12

LEVELS OF CONSERVATION IN THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS

FAO RDP % FAO RDP % FAO RDP % FAO RDP % FAO RDP % FAO RDP % FAO RDP %

AUSTRIA - - - 11 8 72,7 4 4 100,0 7 6 85,7 2 2 100,0 9 9 100,0 33 29 87,9

BELGIUM - - - 3 1 33,3 4 3 75,0 2 0 0,0 - - - 10 9 90,0 19 13 68,4

DENMARK - N.E. N.E. 5 N.E. N.E. 4 N.E. N.E. 9 N.E. N.E. 3 N.E. N.E. 9 N.E. N.E. 30 N.E. N.E.

FINLAND - - - 4 3 75,0 1 1 100,0 10 0 - - - - 2 2 100,0 17 6 35,3

FRANCE 1 0 - 31 16 51,6 5 3 60,0 28 14 50,0 24 0 - 34 21 61,8 123 54 43,9

GERMANY - - - 36 12 33,3 13 3 23,1 73 13 17,8 11 5 45 31 13 41,9 164 46 28,0

GREECE - - - 5 2 40,0 1 1 100,0 6 5 83,3 - - - 19 12 63,2 31 20 64,5

IRELAND - - - 5 2 40,0 1 0 0,0 6 1 16,7 2 0 0,0 9 0 0,0 23 3 13,0

ITALY 6 6 100,0 23 18 78,3 26 11 42,3 17 14 82,4 9 4 44 34 24 70,6 115 77 67,0

LUXEMBOURG - - - - - - - - - 3 1 33,3 1 0 0,0 - - - 4 1 25,0

NETHERLANDS - N.E. N.E. 6 N.E. N.E. - N.E. N.E. 2 N.E. N.E. 2 N.E. N.E. 6 N.E. N.E. 16 N.E. N.E.

PORTUGAL - - - 3 2 66.67 3 0 - 2 1 50,0 1 1 100,0 7 0 0,0 16 4 25,0

SPAIN 5 5 100,0 24 23 95.83 1 1 100,0 5 5 100,0 10 4 40,0 11 7 63,6 56 45 80,4

SWEDEN - - - 10 6 3 2 2 100,0 14 0 0,0 3 1 33,3 11 3 27,3 40 12 30,0

UNITED KINGDOM - N.E. N.E. 24 N.E. N.E. 4 N.E. N.E. 16 N.E. N.E. 11 N.E. N.E. 31 N.E. N.E. 86 N.E. N.E.

TOTAL 12 11 91,7 190 93 48,9 69 29 42,0 200 60 30,0 79 17 21,5 223 100 44,8 773 310 40,1

Source: FAO (DAD-IS Program), National RDPsNote: N.E. = not existing

HORSE PIG SHEEP TOTALMember State

ASS CATTLE GOAT

12 11

190

9369

29

200

6079

17

223

100

ASS CATTLE GOAT HORSE PIG SHEEP

LEVEL OF CONSERVATION IN RDP FOR MAMMALIAN SPECIES

FAO RDP

33 29

1913 17

6

123

54

164

46

31

2023

3

115

77

41

16

4

56

4540

12

AUSTRIA BELGIUM FINLAND FRANCE GERMANY GREECE IRELAND ITALY LUXEMBOURG PORTUGAL SPAIN SWEDEN

BREEDS AT RISK AND LEVEL OF CONSERVATION IN RDPs

breeds at risk breeds included in RDPs

LIVESTOCK BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

THE ANNUAL PAYMENTS TO FARMERS WHO RAISE LOCAL BREEDS FOR A 5 YEAR PERIOD, ARE EXPRESSED IN EURO PER LIVESTOCK UNIT (LU). DETAILED ANALYSIS OF FULL DATABASE REVEALS THAT THE PAYMENTS IN EVERY RDP, GENERALLY, DISREGARD THE RISK STATUS OF BREEDS. THE ONLY ECONOMIC GROUND WE FOUND IS THE COMPARISON, IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE, BETWEEN A LOCAL BREED VERSUS A MORE PRODUCTIVE BREED.

SICILIAN BREEDS AT RISK OF EXTINCTION

RETURNS AND COSTS OF LIVESTOCK FARMING. COMPARISON BETWEEN PRODUCTIVE BREEDSAND LOCAL BREEDS AT RISK OF EXTINCTION FARMING (values in Euro )

BrunaModicana

and Cinisara

Comisana Barbaresca Maltese Girgentana Aveglinese Ragusana LandraceNera

Siciliana

Income per head 1.985,78 1.319,03 186,96 145,90 172,50 130,92 578,43 309,87 1.473,45 791,21

Cost per head 1.679,00 1.371,71 157,52 157,52 157,52 157,52 377,53 367,20 1.249,16 973,98

(Income – Cost) per head 306,26 -52,68 29,44 -11,62 14,98 -26,60 200,90 -57,58 224,29 -182,46

Less income per head 359,00 41,06 41,57 258,48 406,75

Less income per LU before compensation 359,00 273,46 276,86 258,48 1.354,48

Compensation per LU 200,00 200,00 200,00 200,00 200,00

LESS PER LU AFTER COMPENSATION 159,00 73,46 76,86 58,48 1.154,48

Source: Rural Development Programme of Sicily (Italy).Note: According by EU Regulation 2328/91, Annex 1, Cattle over two years, equines over six months are equivalent to 1.0 Livestock Units (LU); Cattle from six months to two years: 0.6 LU; Sheep and Goat: 0.15 LU; Pig: 0.30 LU.In italics are indicated local breeds.

PIGCATTLE SHEEP GOAT HORSE


Economic figures point out that: 1) THE LEVEL OF PAYMENT IS IRRESPECTIVE OF SPECIES;

2) FARMING LOCAL BREEDS INVOLVE CONSIDERABLE LOSS IN SPITE OF PAYMENT TO FARMERS;

3) THERE IS NOT ANY REFERENCE TO OTHER CRITERIA MENTIONED IN EU REGULATION 1257/99 (INCOME FOREGONE, COSTS INCURRED AND NECESSARY INCENTIVE);

4) THE PAYMENTS DO NOT ALLOW TO REACH THE MAXIMUM STOCKING LU PER HECTARE (IN APPLICATION OF GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICE)


IN ORDER TO ASSES THE TOTAL COST OF LIVESTOCK BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION PROGRAM OF RDPs, WE ESTIMATED: 1) THE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE OF CURRENT POPULATION SIZE OF BREEDS AT RISK. VALUES ARE OBTAINED BY MULTIPLYING THE CURRENT POPULATION SIZE OF EACH BREED, AS LISTED IN THE FAO DAD-IS, BY THE SPECIFIC ANNUAL PAYMENT. 2) THE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE UPGRADE OF BREEDS FROM THE AT-RISK STATUS TO THE NOT-AT-RISK STATUS. THIS EXPENDITURE ONLY REFERS TO BREEDS WHICH CURRENT POPULATION SIZE IS LOWER THAN THE THRESHOLD LEVEL INDICATED BY FAO. VALUES ARE ESTIMATED BY MULTIPLYING THE SPECIFIC ANNUAL PAYMENT BY 1022 (THIS NUMBER CORRESPONDS TO THE THRESHOLD LEVEL REQUIRED BY DAD-IS FAO TO CONSIDER A BREED NOT A RISK).

Species Expenditure to assure the maintenance of current population size (A)

Expenditure to assure the moving of breed to at not risk

status (B)

Total expenditure (A + B)

ASS 471.827,80 994.333,40 1.466.161,20

CATTLE 11.969.945,67 7.541.771,89 19.511.717,56

GOAT 759.799,91 194.846,18 954.646,08

HORSE 7.776.669,76 4.892.908,70 12.669.578,46

PIG 254.876,28 565.279,72 820.155,00

SHEEP 3.883.672,74 487.272,35 4.370.945,09

TOTAL 25.116.792,16 14.676.411,23 39.793.203,39

(values in Euro )

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN MEMBER STATES OF EUROPEAN UNION

CONCLUDING REMARKS AT THE MOMENT THE RDPs ARE THE MAIN TOOL TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES IN FAVOR OF LIVESTOCK BIODIVERSITY PROGRAMS IN THE EU.

OUR ANALYSIS POINT OUT THAT:

1) BREEDS INCLUDED IN THE RDPs ARE CONSTANTLY LOWER THAN BREEDS LISTED BY FAO;

2) PAYMENTS TO FARMERS GENERALLY DO NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DIFFERENT PROBABILITY RISK OF EXTINCTION OF BREEDS;

3) THE PAYMENTS ARE IRRESPECTIVE OF SPECIES;

4) PAYMENTS DO NOT OFFER ADEQUATE INCENTIVES EITHER TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT POPULATION OF AT RISK BREEDS OR TO INDUCE FARMERS TO SWITCH FROM HIGHER PRODUCTIVE BREEDS TO LOCAL BREEDS REARING.

THIS GENERAL PICTURE SEEMS TO INDICATE THE ABSENCE OF A GENERAL STRATEGY FOR DECISION MAKING. FIRST OF ALL IN A CONTEXT OF LIMITED BUDGETS, IT SHOULD IDENTIFY USEFUL OPERATIVE CRITERIA FOR SETTING PRIORITIES IN CONSERVATION DECISION AND DIFFERENTIATE ECONOMIC SUPPORT.IT SHOULD TRY TO INCREASE THE ECONOMIC PROFITABILITY OF LOCAL BREEDS FARMING. THIS ADJUSTEMENTS COULD BE REACHED IN SEVERAL WAYS:- THE MOST OBVIOUS IMMEDIATE WAY IS TO GIVE HIGHER PAYMENT WITH RESPECT OF OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS (E.G. SOIL CONSERVATION).- ANOTHER ROUTE IS TO PRODUCE CONSISTENT COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICIES.(FOR ISTANCE, IT SHOULD BE SUITABLE TO HAVE POLICIES PROVIDING SUPPORT TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS OR FOODSTUFFS WHICH HAVE AN IDENTIFIABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL BREEDS.

domestic animal biodiversity conservation in the european union giovanni signorello giuseppe cucuzza...

Documents