Restoring grazing agroecosystems in Mediterranean less favoured areas for resilience and productivity: experts opinion

Abstract Mediterranean agroecosystems are under increasing pressures by extreme weather events, which together with poor livestock grazing management bring the already degraded lands closer to desertification. To address these challenges, we develop a decision support manual for sustainable management of degraded lands based on local plant and animal resources. We present a conceptual approach to quantify the quality attributes of current pasture-based livestock and mixed farming systems to increase their added value. Most approaches focus on lowland areas, we propose building a system to assess and quantify the quality and management of grazing lands as well as the small ruminant farming practices in Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) areas of the Mediterranean. The interventions have been proposed by 17 researchers from different disciplines ranging from animal science and animal husbandry, nutrition and genetics, pasture management, plant breeding and soil science to regional development and environmental science and agricultural economics. They are based on technical and socio-economic information, to foster the development of business models towards sustainable management of regenerative grazing. These models are also expected to be used as evidence for motivating farmers and stakeholders in reinforcing grazing as a practice that, when properly used and implemented using local knowledge, reduces land degradation and contributes to the conservation of the local resources. The economic analysis showing the costs and benefits of the applied systems is important to foster the integration and implementation of the recommended schemes and leads to more efficient planning through better decision making. The proposed interventions are designed to stimulate farmers to learn or rediscover grazing techniques, and to stimulate a re-think of priorities on the multi-faceted contribution of grazing agro-ecosystems, among others, on soil health, land degradation, sustainable grazing management and population conservation in LFAs, acknowledging the importance of pastureland regeneration. In the long term the introduction of the decision support manual and the business model will benefit the quality and management of grazing agroecosystems. Furthermore, it is essential to adjust the agricultural policies to implenent the proposed measures.