Can Livestock Farming and Tourism Coexist in Mountain Regions? A New Business Model for Sustainability

Dino Genovese,Luca Maria Battaglini,Francesca Culasso,Elisa Giacosa

doi:10.3390/su9112021

Abstract

European Mediterranean mountain regions have been characterized by a sort of competition between the tourism sector and the agro-silvo-pastoral system, which in recent years has contributed to generate a continuous decline of the second one. Nevertheless, Pasture-based Livestock Farming Systems (PLSFS) are relevant for their role in the management and conservation of large High Nature Value (HNV) farmlands in Europe. The goal of our research is therefore to analyze what are the main features of farming organizations in the Italian alpine mountains and how they may be combined into inovative and sustainable business models (BM), characterized by the coexistence of agro-silvo-pastoral and touristic activities. By drawing upon the BM definition suggested by the Bocken’s et al. (2014), an exploratory case study has been analyzed; in particular, we propose the case study of the Lanzo Valleys, an alpine mountain region in the northwest of Italy, and the Toma di Lanzo Producers Association. The way a concrete and sustainable innovation in the more traditional BM could be supported only by the proactive intervention of a supra-farm dimension, while maintaining the peculiarities of the individual farms, is clearly shown in the article. A system of firms and institutions linked together in a collaborative relationship may represent a strong network, able to achieve the common goal of producing a sustainable development for the territory. Indeed, environment and cultural heritage may be preserved, as well as the economic perspective of farms reinforced, while the PLSFS could become more attractive for the tourism phenomenon. Interesting implications for farmers, policy makers and local institutions are identified.

Highlights

Despite tourism development in European Mediterranean context has had, since the 1970s, a variety of positive effects upon the economy of mountain regions, especially considering the increasing of population in the alpine territory and the diversification of productive activities, it has produced negative impacts [1]
A deep analysis of the results concerning the characteristics of the farms belonging to the Toma di Lanzo Producers Association is presented, in order to comprehend how these business models (BM) can improve the sustainability of the whole system
We addressed two research questions: RQ1—What are the main characteristics of farms belonging to the Pasture-based Livestock Farming Systems (PLSFS) in the European Mediterranean mountain regions, in terms of internal and external factors? RQ2—Are farms belonging to the PLSFS in the European Mediterranean mountain regions able to adopt innovative and sustainable BM that make coexistence of on- and off-farm activities possible?

Summary

Introduction

Despite tourism development in European Mediterranean context has had, since the 1970s, a variety of positive effects upon the economy of mountain regions, especially considering the increasing of population in the alpine territory and the diversification of productive activities (e.g., the establishment of ski resorts), it has produced negative impacts [1]. Livestock productions need to be integrated with a more sustainable form of tourism (e.g., agritourism, ecotourism and green-tourism) to achieve profitable synergies, avoiding trade-offs. This is true when on- and off-farm activities can be well harmonized in the same household, by ensuring farmers better conditions of life. Considering the product quality diversification as a new alternative way to create value and reduce risks, innovative schemes of networking and cooperation among farmers and institutions could be thought to produce, certify and distribute products [4]

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Conclusion