J.M. Castel’s research while affiliated with University of Seville and other places

Several wildfire prevention programs in Spain are using grazing livestock to maintain fuelbreaks with low levels of biomass. Even though shepherds are remunerated for these services, many of their farms are hardly viable in the current socio-economic context. By analyzing 54 small ruminant farms participating in the Grazed Fuelbreak Network in Andalusia (southern Spain), this research aimed to identify the main types and characteristics of such farms and, considering the challenges they are facing, propose strategies to improve both their economic viability and their effectiveness in fuelbreak grazing. Based on data collected through a survey on key farm management aspects, a multivariate analysis was performed and four main types of farm were identified: two clusters of dairy goat farms and two composed mostly of meat-purpose sheep farms. Farms in all clusters could benefit from improvements in the feeding and reproductive management of livestock, either to enhance their productivity or to make better use of the pasture resources available. Dairy goat farms remain more dependent on external animal feed to ensure a better lactation, therefore they should either diminish their workforce costs per animal or sell transformed products directly to consumers to improve their economic viability. Best fuelbreak grazing results were related to larger flocks combining sheep and goats, lower ratios of fuelbreak surface area per animal, and longer (year-long) grazing periods on fuelbreaks. Therefore, such farm features and adjusted fuelbreak assignments should be favored in wildfire prevention programs using grazing services.

The main objective of the paper is to do a critic study of the use of typology methodologies within pasture-based farming systems (PBFS), especially those situated in less favoured areas, showing in each case the more relevant variables or indicators determining the farming system classification. Another objective is to do an overview of the most used farming system typology methodologies in general. First some considerations about the concept of farming system and approaches to its study have been done. Next, the farming system typology methodologies have been showed in general to different farming systems, but addressed preferably to PBFS. The different tools integrated in these methodologies have been considered: sampling methods, sources of data, variables or indicators obtained from available data and techniques of analysis (statistical or not). Methods for farming system classification have been presented (expert methods, analytical methods or a combination of both types). Among the statistical methods, the multivariate analysis has been overall treated, including the principal component analysis and the cluster analysis. Finally, the use of farming system typology methodologies on different pasture-based farming systems has been presented. The most important aspects considered are following: the main objective of the typology, the main animal species, the employed methods of classification and the main variables involved in this classification.

a b s t r a c t In the municipality of Tecpatan, Chiapas, in southeastern Mexico, it is highly feasible to convert tradi-tional agrosilvopastoral systems of dairy production to the organic production model. The objective of this study was to characterize silvopastoral systems and evaluate the feasibility of converting traditional agrosilvopastoral systems to the organic model. We studied 75 cattle farms belonging to three Rural Production Societies (RPS; rural cooperatives): (i) RPS Grijalva (RPS-G: n ¼ 35), (ii) RPS Pomarroza (RPS-P: n ¼ 22), and (iii) RPS Malpaso (RPS-M: n ¼ 18). For this, we used as a guide the multi-criteria methodology of the Organic Livestock Proximity Index (OLPI) proposed by Mena et al. (2011), adapt-ing it to suit our purposes. In the current study, we designed a new OLPI with 35 variables which integrate 10 indicators. Information was obtained through direct observation and a questionnaire applied to producers. Statistical analysis of the results of 10 indicators used did not show significant differences among rural production societies. The same was true for the organic conversion index (p > 0.05: RPS-G ¼ 62.5%; RPS-M ¼ 63.4%, and RPS-P ¼ 64.6%). The data suggest that all cattle farms need to sub-stantially improve veterinary care, safety of milking, quality of milk and dairy products, ecological management, and sustainable grassland management. In general, producers of the three rural production societies should be trained in a variety of organic cattle production and management techniques so that cattle farms may achieve a closer approximation to the organic model of production and thus may be certified.

In the municipality of Tecpatan, Chiapas, in Southeastern Mexico, traditional agrosilvopastoral systems of dairy production have great potential for conversion to the organic production model. The objective of this study was to characterize silvopastoral systems and evaluate the potential of converting traditional agrosilvopastoral systems to the organic model. Researchers studied 75 cattle farms belonging to three Rural Production Societies (RPS; rural cooperatives): RPS Grijalva (RPS-G: n = 35), RPS Pomanoza (RPS-P: n = 22) and RPS Malpaso (RPS-M: n = 18). For this, researchers used as a guide the multi-criteria methodology of the Organic Livestock Proximity Index (OLPI) proposed by Mena adapting it to suit the purposes. In the current study, researchers designed a new OLPI with 35 variables which integrate 10 indicators. Information was obtained through direct observation and a questionnaire applied to producers. Statistical analysis of the results of 10 indicators used did not show significant differences among rural production societies. The same was true for the organic conversion nidex (p>0.05: RPS-G = 62.5%; RPS-M = 63.4% and RPS-P = 64.6%). The data suggest that all cattle farms need to substantially improve veterinary care, safety of milking, quality of milk and dairy products, ecological management and sustainable grassland management. In general, producers of the three rural production societies should be trained in a variety of organic cattle production and management techniques so that cattle farms may achieve a closer approximation to the organic model of production and thus may be certified.

Organic farming conserves natural resources, promotes biodiversity, guarantees animal welfare and obtains healthy products from raw materials through natural processes. In order to evaluate possibilities of increasing organic animal production, this study proposes a farm-scale multicriteria method for assessing the conversion of dairy goat systems to the organic model. In addition, a case study in the Northern Sierra of Seville, southern Spain, is analysed. A consensus of expert opinions and a field survey are used to validate a list of potential indicators and issues for assessing the conversion, which consider not only the European Community regulations for organic livestock farming, but also agroecological principles. As a result, the method includes 56 variables integrated in nine indicators: Nutritional management, Sustainable pasture management, Soil fertility and contamination, Weed and pest control, Disease prevention, Breeds and reproduction, Animal welfare, Food safety and Marketing and management. The nine indicators are finally integrated in a global index named OLPI (Organic Livestock Proximity Index). Application of the method to a case study with 24 goat farms reveals an OLPI value of 46.5% for dairy goat farms located in mountain areas of southern Spain. The aspects that differ most from the agroecological model include soil management, animal nutrition and product marketing. Results of the case study indicate that the proposed method is easy to implement and is useful for quantifying the approximation of conventional farms to an organic model.

La provincia de Málaga se caracteriza por la elaboración de quesos con leche de cabra de la raza “Malagueña”. Estos quesos, de alta calidad, presentan una gran variedad de especialidades, desde algunos de gran tradición, reconocidos por la Unión Europea como el Queso de Málaga o Montes de Málaga y el Queso de Ronda o de la Serranía de Ronda, hasta otros innovadores como el Queso al vino Pedro Ximénez. Málaga cuenta actualmente con un sector quesero en aumento, formado por un total de veinte queserías artesanales y dos cooperativas ganaderas que se dedican a la elaboración de queso. Además, el comportamiento de los consumidores malagueños hacia estos productos es positivo, valorando el origen de los mismos frente a otros atributos que pueda tener el queso como son el grado de curación o el modo de elaboración (Navarro et al., 2007) Desde el Área de Economía y Sociología Agrarias del Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria (IFAPA) y desde el Área de Producción Animal de la Universidad de Sevilla, junto a los diferentes actores del sector ganadero y quesero andaluz, se vienen impulsando actividades y proyectos de experimentación para la mejora de la comercialización de los productos lácteos andaluces (Castel et al., 2011). Los resultados que a continuación se presentan, derivan de una de las acciones del proyecto TRANSFORMA PP.TRA.TRA2010.5 “Mejora Integral de los sistemas adehesados andaluces”, y tienen por finalidad determinar las preferencias de los consumidores andaluces hacia los más destacados representantes de los distintos tipos de quesos elaborados en las comarcas queseras andaluzas más tradicionales. Los estudios de preferencias sensoriales de productos alimentarios suponen una importante herramienta para mejorar la comercialización en las empresas. Los resultados de estos estudios permiten establecer segmentos de mercado a los que dirigir las producciones, determinar aspectos de mejora en la producción de alimentos y establecer programas de formación y promoción de acuerdo con la información que proporcionan. A continuación se exponen los resultados de las catas sensoriales de quesos de Málaga (los más valorados de cada uno de los tipos existentes) realizadas a 161 consumidores de Sevilla, Córdoba y Granada durante los meses de febrero y marzo de 2011.

The aim of this work is to present the segmentation of the Andalusian handmade goat cheesemarket in metropolitan areas, in order to establish training and promotion strategies to be addressed to this sector and to specific niches of consumers. The analysis was performed based on a survey made to a sample of 440 consumers from Sevilla (Spain), stratified by sex, age, and income level. After an overall description of the cheese consumption and shopping behaviour, a typology of the consumers is presented using these variables (cluster analysis), and a segmentation of the handmade cheese market accomplished, according to knowledge, consumption, and willingness to pay overprices for handmade cheeses as the criterion variables, and some behavioural and demographic variables as the independent ones. Significant conclusions were drawn, and some training and promotion strategies established in order to increase the value of these quality products. Among them, working on quality and know-how, training about the specific characteristics handmade cheeses have, enhancing visits to dairies, or placing handmade cheeses in specializing store shelves, are actions suggested by this research team. Keywords. Market segmentation – Handmade goat cheese – Urban consumers – Andalusia.

In recent decades there has been a worldwide increase in the intensification process of the livestock sector. This study looks into the changes that have taken place in goat farms in less favoured areas of Spain by comparing the situation of systems in the Northern Sierra of Seville (SNS), a traditional goat farming area in Spain, in the years 2002 and 2008. The information for this study was collected in 2002 and 2008, from a sample of 22 and 23 dairy goat farmers, respectively. A farm survey was conducted, composed of 95 items, grouped into the following sections: animal base, infrastructures and facilities, feeding, reproduction, milk production and animal health. For either of the two years of study a multivariate analysis has been conducted through a multiple correspondence analysis followed by a cluster analysis. Four groups have been identified for each year, showing a diverse range of farms whereby the most intensive farms coexist with those that continue to practise grazing. The following main changes have been observed throughout the study: (i) the herd size is increasing; (ii) the supply of concentrates and straw has increased significantly but use of forage has decreased; (iii) the lactation length has increased; (iv) milking facilities and feed distribution systems have been modernized; and (v) the animal health has substantially improved. Other important changes, although less significant, are the establishment of reproductive groups on the farms, genetic improvement of herds by absorbing the dairy breed Florida and improving goat productivity. Most changes have focused on intensifying the productive systems. Some drivers behind these changes are the loss of grazing as a feed source for goats, acceptable prices for the purchase of feeds during the period studied, the increase in milk demand from industry, EU aids and willingness of the farmers to improve their working conditions. Evolutions of purchase feed and sold milk prices together with EU agricultural policy evolution will determine the future of dairy goat production.

Multiple factors affect the continuity of goat farms: market conditions, availability of land, application of new technologies, etc. Among these factors, those related to labour play an important role. The aim of this study is to characterize all aspects related to labour in goat farms in Andalusia (Spain) and propose some strategies for improvement of worker's life conditions. 75 Andalusian goat breeders were interviewed. The main problems identified were: the length of working day, the lack of holidays and the lack of training. As a consequence of these problems, young people do not continue in goat production. Some strategies to solve these problems are: to improve feeding management, to apply new technologies and to promote associations that facilitate the hiring of replacement workers when farmers need to take a holiday.