Evaluation of the Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Livestock Farms in Inland Areas

Abstract

The present research aimed to evaluate the economic and environmental sustainability of livestock farms in inland areas of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park (Southern Italy) and the convenience and possibility of activating forms of local economies. The study involved three types of grazing husbandries: one with only sheep and goats; one with only cattle; and one mixed, namely with cattle, sheep and goats. The profitability of the analyzed farms was compared through their gross profit and the net income of the farmer. To evaluate the convenience of the farms under study to activate forms of a short supply chain, the transformation value of the milk was used as the reference parameter. The environmental impact per farm and per adult bovine unit was assessed through the LCA methodology. The economic analysis showed that the survival of the analyzed farms is essentially linked to public subsidies, which in some cases represent more than 75% of the total output. Family enterprise plays a fundamental role in management decisions, in the size of animal breeding, and in investment decisions. Referring to environmental impacts, the analysis showed a lower sustainability of cattle farming, mainly due to the higher methane emissions during enteric fermentation. Despite all this, the ecosystem services provided by these semi-extensive farms in inland areas are significant, and therefore economic and environmental analyses should take them into account to enhance them and encourage farmers to remain in these often marginal areas.