The James Hutton Institute
This page is no longer updated. The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute joined forces with SCRI on 1 April 2011 to create The James Hutton Institute.
The James Hutton InstituteThis page is no longer updated. The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute joined forces with SCRI on 1 April 2011 to create The James Hutton Institute.
The European Union (EU) has funded a four year research project that
commenced in March 1996 to research 'Husbandry systems and sustainable
social and environmental quality in Less Favoured Areas' (EQULFA).
This poster provides an overview of the aims, benefits and methodologies
of the EQULFA project.
The aim of the project is to adjust primary production systems in Less
Favoured Areas (LFA) so that they preserve landscape environments, become
sustainable in terms of socio-economics and aid development of rural communities.
The project has been divided into four interlinked tasks; the objective
and methodology of each are described below.
The basic methodological approaches are case studies, surveys, experiments
and frameworks.
Provide frameworks for decision support systems merging environmental
and production policies applicable to landscape environments across the
whole Community.
Increase scientific knowledge required by land managers and design animal
grazing systems which appropriately control landscape environments.
Support the socio-economic viability of fragile rural areas by increasing knowledge about on-farm activities and the effects of the CAP on rural socio-economics.
Dr. George Fisher (Project co-ordinator)
Miss Fiona Newcombe (Project Manager, Task 1 Manager)
Dr Geri Rahmann (Task 4 Manager)
Dr. Valerio Abbadessa (Joint Task 2 Manager)
Dr. Massimo Trabalza-Marinucci (Joint Task 2 Manager)
Prof. A Nastis (Task 4 Manager)
Dr. Elizabeth Lecrivain
Objective: To identify, describe and define the cultural landscapes
under threat and identify the current problems and support frameworks which
exist.
The attitudes or reasons and practices of farmers, public and policy
makers to the value of landscapes is being identified by the use of the
Participatory Rural Appraisal.
Intermediate Objects or contracts relating to land-use.
Landscapes to be recreated/preserved in hill LFAs are surveyed and defined
by identifying cultural and physical elements.
Husbandry systems in the landscapes and landscape dynamics are described.
Questions arising from the interactions between attitudes, husbandry
systems and the landscape will be identified.
Existing conceptual frameworks that account for landscape objectives
in decision support will be reviewed and new frameworks designed to accommodate
attitudes, practices and requirements in decision support.
Objective: To understand the relationships between animal behaviour,
forage intake and vegetation dynamics and the influence of management.
Each partner has set up long term grazing experiments using sheep, cattle
and goats in a mixed landscape. Various techniques are used according to
the local expertise, with at least one common methodology for each parameter
measured:
Methodologies used for spatial behaviour include visual observation
and GPS radiotracking.
Grazing behaviour is measured by the daily pattern of feeding activities,
dry matter intake, faecal output and digestibility.
The diet selection of livestock is also measured by destructive and
non-destructive vegetation techniques.
The evaluation of the interactions between soil, vegetation, husbandry
practices and animal behaviour will be used to define the impact of these
factors on landscape.
The final part of task 2 is to develop frameworks of the impact of husbandry
practices on landscape as decision support tools for farmers, land managers
and policy makers.
Objective: To define the socio-economic characteristics that
influence husbandry systems and landscapes, and assess the use of landscapes
for complimentary on-farm activities.
Representative farms have been selected from each of the study regions
to be used as case studies and data collection points for Task 3.
Physical indicators of different husbandry systems are being collected.
These include land-use, climatic, livestock and farm management indicators.
Financial indicators of systems within existing markets are determined
by the use of a farm management survey.
Socio-economic indicators measured include populations, education, health
services, migration using Participatory Rural Appraisal as well as published
sources.
The impact of husbandry systems on regional socio-economics in relation
to the reformed CAP and to the environmental indicators will be assessed
by combining some of the tasks.
Potential of landscape resources in complementary on-farm activities
and likely impact of these on income and employment development will be
assessed.
The results will be built into decision support frameworks to aid the
inclusion of complementary on-farm activities in whole farm strategic planning,
and policy impact assessment.
Objective: To assess the potential of using environmental quality
in meeting consumer expectations for the environment as a product.
Determine the consumer expectations of and fulfilment from food products
which originate from landscapes in LFAs.
Direct products (e.g. meat, wool) of the landscape are measured using
Product Stream Evaluation methodology.
Indirect products of husbandry systems are evaluated by Participatory
Rural Appraisal.
Assess market potential for environmental quality and products of local distinctiveness produced environmentally friendly husbandry practices, and assess the possible impacts of markets on regional socio-economics.
For further information about the EQULFA project, please contact the
project manager;
Department of Grassland & Ruminant Science
Scottish Agricultural College
Auchincruive
Ayr Scotland
KA6 5HW
Tel. + 44 1292 525418
Fax: + 44 1292 525251
Email F.Newcombe@au.sac.ac.uk