LSIRD: a network taking shape

Jerry Laker

After almost one year, the LSIRD network is fast becoming established in its role to provide an effective channel for international co-operation, collaboration and idea-sharing for research workers interested in the special issues encountered in the European less-favoured areas . There are already some 350 signed-up members, representing 218 organisations spread across the EU engaged in livestock-related research. This is the first stage in building up a network of contacts that will be a powerful resource for those embarking on interdisciplinary projects.

Last November's Cork Declaration established the philosophy, at an EU level, of "integrated rural development", i.e. that policy structures aiming to stimulate the rural economy must recognise that agriculture plays only a part, albeit a major one, in a far wider range of rural economic activities. This is likely, in time, to have far-reaching effects on agricultural systems, particularly in the LFAs - some 56 % of the farmed area of Europe. Livestock rearing is commonly the major agricultural sector in the LFAs, and it is being increasingly recognised that future systems will be encouraged to incorporate elements of traditional husbandry methods which have played an essential role in creating and maintaining the characteristic habitats and landscapes.

Future systems must be compatible with positive environmental management, as well as returning an adequate income to farmers, a demand that is leading to an increasing number of farmers engaging in some form of processing or speciality marketing to add value to their products, possibly in co-operation with other local businesses, such as restaurants and retail outlets.

1^st LSIRD conference, Nafplio, Greece

This drive to integration of rural development initiatives opens up new challenges for livestock research. There is increasing need for collaborative, interdisciplinary investigation which will combine existing knowledge and new technologies. To start off the process of achieving this aim, the Network organised its first conference, which took place in Nafplio, Greece (23^rd-25^th January 1997). The Nafplio conference was an attempt to draw together experts in production systems, policy and economic research, and environmental management, in order to identify opportunities for synergy between the disciplines, and form a conceptual basis for the future development of the LSIRD network.(see report)(see full proceedings).

LSIRD directory of current research

The valuable contacts made in Nafplio will be developed and extended through the directory of members interests. Work on this has begun, and the progress to date can be found on the Internet site. This medium offers great possibilities both for getting current work known in scientific circles, and for establishing a detailed and user-friendly information resource. The database will be developed as a Web-based service, but will in the future be published in print. In the meantime, we can supply printouts to anyone without access to the database. An essential element of building up a useful information resource is your cooperation and enthusiasm. A leaflet giving details of the simple procedure to deposit and update information is available from LSIRD.

Widening the net

One of the lasting impressions of the Nafplio conference was the degree of consensus displayed between the participants on rural development issues, in particular, that it is essential that LFA farming systems must necessarily take on board sustainable agriculture principles, and exploit to the fullest extent the opportunities offered by value-adding activities, such as regional and eco-labelling, on-farm processing and marketing, and where appropriate, co-operative ventures between rural production and retailing enterprises. The message that many took away with them was that LFA livestock farming is developing as a distinct research field in its own right. There is an opportunity now to take the LSIRD network a stage further, and bring in more of the people who are active in research projects. The proceedings from Nafplio, (available now on the WWW, and soon in print) set out some of the concepts that will be developed over the next two years by the workshop series and this publication. I would encourage you to spread the word about the network, and encourage colleagues to register. After one year we have a functioning network of innovative research workers. In the coming year, we can harness this dynamic, and develop LFA livestock research as an identifiable multidisciplinary field.

24th February 1997