Equids contribution to sustainable development in rural areas: a new challenge for the third millennium

Abstract

The general principles of the sustainable development are based on the ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. The idea behind sustainable development is that long-term preservation of our environment, our habitat as well as its biodiversity and natural resources and the environment will only be possible if combined simultaneously with economic, social and political development particularly geared to the benefit of the poorest members of society. Horse breeding represents one of the most interesting activities in the conservation of a sound environment and it is important to focus the attention of all horsemen on the dangers which today threaten the environment in a world more and more governed by technology and short-sighted economic interests. Appropriate farming systems help to preserve landscapes and habitats ranging from wetlands to dry meadows and mountain pastures. In many areas this is an important issue of the cultural heritage and of the overall attractiveness of rural areas as places in which to live and work. Over the last years there has been considerable worldwide changes in rural environment, agricultural and feeding systems that affected considerably the horse breeding. Farming and forestry remain crucial as the use and the management of natural resources in the EU’s rural areas. As still highlighted in previous studies, it is clear that equids are more and more playing an increasing role in the new context of sustainable development. This paper will emphasize the role of equids in the rural development from past to future identifying the farming systems, the evaluation of the role of horses in farming systems in a general context of environment and landscape safeguard and of biodiversity preservation.