Abstract
Simple SummaryMaintaining minimum population sizes for local livestock breeds is a key goal in the conservation of animal genetic resources. As markets and livestock production systems have tended to favour a narrow base of high-output improved breeds, countries have had to use financial and other incentives to motivate breeders to keep local breeds. This paper explores the potential for more cost-effective alternatives to the most commonly used financial incentive, a fixed payment per animal or livestock unit. We compare the current fixed payment incentives for local breeds under the Slovenian Rural Development Programmme with those instead determined through a competitive tender approach. A stated preference survey was realised to determine the conditions under which breeders would be willing to participate in such an incentive system based on differentiated payments. Willingness to accept (WTA) payment for conservation was found to differ significantly from actual payment levels, being lower for the local sheep and goat breeds, and higher for the local pig breed. This suggests that implementation of differentiated payments would be more cost-effective; particularly when accompanied by measures to streamline administrative requirements, improve access to breeding stock and target support for local breed market valorisation (e.g., promotion of value chains based on designated quality schemes).Local livestock breeds in Slovenia have been eligible for financial incentives in the form of a fixed payment per livestock unit (LU) since 2002. The scheme has however not been successful in reversing the erosion of animal genetic resources (AnGR). This paper investigates an alternative, whereby incentive payments would better reflect breeders’ actual opportunity costs. The paper contributes to the limited existing body of knowledge related to the use of tender mechanisms in the design of the payments for agrobiodiversity conservation schemes (PACS), particularly for AnGR. Empirical findings draw on the results of a stated preference survey involving 301 farmers in Slovenia, engaging, or being potentially able to engage, in the rearing of local pig, sheep and goat breeds. Interval and logistic regression model results suggest that willingness to accept (WTA) conservation support significantly differs from actual payment levels. The estimated WTA was found to be 27% lower for the local sheep and goat breeds and 5% higher for the local pig breed, suggesting that differentiated incentive payments would provide a more cost-effective alternative. Additional analysis of breeders’ preferences and motives for engaging in local livestock breed production further informs understanding regarding AnGR conservation policy and the importance of accompanying actions to reverse negative population trends. These include reducing administrative barriers and enhancing the market valorisation of local breeds.
Highlights
In recent decades, concerns regarding the need to conserve genetic resources for food and agriculture in order to render agricultural production systems and rural livelihoods more resilient to shocks and stresses have been growing [1,2]
These farms were included in the survey as they could potentially switch to the production of local breeds and contribute to improving breed endangerment status
Given the fact that the survey was conducted at a time when the contracts for the 2007–2013 programming period were expiring and some farms were still deciding whether to continue participating in the new scheme, it is interesting to compare the estimated willingness to accept (WTA) with the actual payment levels in force during the period 2007–2013 and the 2014–2020 period that was just starting at that time
Summary
Concerns regarding the need to conserve genetic resources for food and agriculture in order to render agricultural production systems and rural livelihoods more resilient to shocks and stresses have been growing [1,2]. The loss of diversity and diversified production systems resulting from the intensification of agricultural practices has influenced local food system sustainability [3] Such impacts relate to the supply of a range of important provisioning, regulatory and cultural ecosystem services, many of which are public goods. In the absence of mechanisms to internalise such values, these are likely to be left unaccounted for in farmer production system decisions, leading to the maintenance of less than socially desirable levels of agricultural biodiversity [7] In recognition of this divergence between the private costs and public benefits of conserving biodiversity in general [8], the Convention on Biological Diversity in the Aichi Target 3 has recognised the need for incentive mechanisms [9]. Since their introduction in 1992, agrienvironmental schemes have been gaining steadily in terms of their policy importance, as evidenced by the total amount of support available under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) [41]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
