An Integrated Approach to Livestock Farming Systems’ Autonomy to Design and Manage Agroecological Transition at the Farm and Territorial Levels

Abstract

In agroecological approaches, autonomy emerges as a central concept. It is also meaningful for farmers, for whom implementing the agroecological transition of livestock farming systems (LFS) requires greater autonomy with respect to inputs and the dominant socioeconomic and technical regime. How does this concept of autonomy encompass the complexity of the agroecological transition? This chapter provides an answer through an overview of the various approaches used to analyse the autonomy of LFS, as well as a conceptual framework that can serve to comprehensively examine it. Three approaches to LFSs' autonomy are presented, based on whether they are focused on the flows of material between system components, on the functioning and management of the system, or on the socioeconomic organisation and the values underpinning it. Each of these addresses autonomy in its biotechnical or decisional dimension, as well as in terms of three analysis components: embeddedness, dependency, and footprint. The conceptual M.-A. Magne (

The Root towards More Circularized Animal Production Systems: From Animal to Territorial Metabolism

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The emergence of agroecological practices on agropastoral dairy farms in the face of changing demand from dairies

“…Livestock producers have adopted two main feeding strategies, based on fodder stocks and grazing (Quetier et al, 2005). Some farmers have implemented different practices aimed at encouraging forage production adapted to drought and increasing the value of rangelands (Allézard et al, 2014;Magne et al, 2019). Other farmers have labelled their farms "organic", and then changed their dairy process to sell organic milk (Magne et al, 2019).…”

“…Some farmers have implemented different practices aimed at encouraging forage production adapted to drought and increasing the value of rangelands (Allézard et al, 2014;Magne et al, 2019). Other farmers have labelled their farms "organic", and then changed their dairy process to sell organic milk (Magne et al, 2019). Magne et al (2019) characterized four types of livestock systems from these practices: -economical systems producing over a short period of time by exploiting available local resources, limiting fodder and concentrates; -breeders, whose objective is to produce milk on grass by exploiting undiversified productive fodder resources.…”

“…Other farmers have labelled their farms "organic", and then changed their dairy process to sell organic milk (Magne et al, 2019). Magne et al (2019) characterized four types of livestock systems from these practices: -economical systems producing over a short period of time by exploiting available local resources, limiting fodder and concentrates; -breeders, whose objective is to produce milk on grass by exploiting undiversified productive fodder resources. These farmers buy protein concentrates to optimize the genetic potential of Lacaune ewes, but they are self-sufficient in fodder; -farmers who produce organic sheep milk by making the best use of the diversity between animal and plant biological resources.…”

Caracterização da pecuária leiteira de base familiar no Estado do Pará: reflexões sobre práticas agroecológicas

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