LSIRDnetwork:
Some considerations for the development of policy objectives

Javier Martínez Vassallo

Consider a traditional producer of domestic livestock, linked to the use of land in a disadvantaged region of Europe. We can first assume that he (or she) is willing to harmonise his activities with all the EU directives that apply to him, as he will recognise the value of the principles that these policies try to promote: economic development, and improvement - or at least preservation - of the environment. This farmer will be looking ahead to an uncertain future characterised by increasing competition, and an end to agricultural subsidies. This same farmer is likely to remain fond of his cultural background, and may even aspire, influenced by largely urban values, to improve his standard of living. Policy development must seek to maintain an economic and social environment within which farming systems may develop which will allow farmers to survive, and indeed prosper, to continue their important cultural and environmental roles in rural communities.

Within this context, the farmer's activities are affected by a range of European policies, specifically: agricultural, environmental, research and development, and competitiveness (in relation to international markets). The farmer's decisions are also affected by national policies (with some countries already adapted to EU directives, and some not), regional policies (at least in Spain, these have great influence, and there is large variation between regions), and even local policies.

Understanding policy to be the adoption of general principles which rule the nature of actions taken, the identification of a specific policy by an organisational body (government/administration or private) of any geographical area of operation, is a major undertaking, usually dealing with conflicting interests in society.

Once the arena and the main actors, with their interests, have been identified, it would appear that a political decision, (i.e. one without too many objections), and enough available funds, are all that is needed to put into practice the actions governed by a policy. There remain, however some big constraints to be taken into consideration:

1. The coherence and overlapping of a specific policy with others within the same geographical area.

2. The level of adoption, coherence and overlapping of a specific policy (and of its interactions with other policies within the same ambit) with other policies of  different geographical areas.

3. The degree of specificity in the definition of actions which are considered to be affected by a specific policy.

4. The compatibility of different farming activities, both to different policies and to the different actions affected by each policy.

In this context, the identification of priorities for R & D for the integration of domestic livestock production systems with rural development may be addressed, after taking into account at least the following considerations:

i. The nodes of interaction between overlapping policies.

ii. Complementarity between traditional and diversifying activities

iii. The skills available and training possibilities.

iv. Levels of organisation for rural producers/actors to reach markets, and the ways in which they receive information back from the market on product quality and price.

Taking into account that neither farmers or environments are unique, other items, such as the following should be considered.

i. Typologies of rural development across the main European disadvantaged regions.

ii. Typologies of animal production systems.

iii. Socio-economic evaluation of natural resources and landscapes.

iv. Identification of suitable environments e.g. uniformity v. heterogeneity

The objectives of the debate being encouraged in this Concerted Action are of enormous importance. I would like to encourage specialists from all over Europe to join us by airing their ideas for future policy development in future issues of Faunus.

23 October 1996