Rural sustainable growth in the context of the structural and environmental programmes of the national strategic development plan (NSDP) 2007 – 2013
The EU policies on the environment aim at a high level of protection and take into account the diversity of situations in various regions in the European Union. They are based on precautionary principles, on preventive actions and on remediation of environmental disasters. An action package is adopted concerning the modernization of farms, the improvement of the forests’ economic value, the value increase of agricultural and forestry products, processes and technologies in agriculture for food and forests, the improvement and development of agricultural and forestry infrastructure, the restoration of agricultural production potential being destroyed by natural disasters as well as the introduction of specific prevention measures. Particularly forestry, which is an integral part of rural development, is provided for sustainable forest management and for its multifunctional role. Forests provide multiple benefits: they provide raw materials for renewable and environmentally friendly products, play an important role in economic prosperity, biological diversity, the global carbon cycle, the water balance, the erosion control and the prevention of natural hazards. Forests provide also social and recreational services. The support of rural development contributes to the achievements of the following objectives, through concrete measures, which are specialized on a later stage in specific programs.
• Competitiveness improvement of agriculture and forestry
• Improvement of the environment and the countryside
• Quality of life in rural areas and diversification of rural economy
Action plan for the integrated pastoral development of the eastern Peloponnese
Livestock husbandry constitutes an important activity of the primary sector in eastern Peloponnese. It has 17.1% of sheep, 15.1% of cattle, 22.1 % of goats and 8.7% of pig exploitations of the whole region of Peloponnese. There are about 25 exploitations of goats and sheep with 300-600 heads each which are raised extensively because they are based on rangelands. In general, these exploitations do not cause any problems to the environment. In 1991, there were 2.3 million ha of rangelands corresponding to 57.1% of the whole area. From a local research which took place in the cheese factories of the region it was found that they were no more than 10, processed 100 to 3,000 tons of milk per year and produced white, hard and soft goat-sheep cheeses, butter and yogurt. It is needed: a) rangelands to be integrated in an organic farming program, b) farmers to get financial aid, c) Municipalities and farmers get informed about organic farming and premium products and d) to modernize cheese factories aiming at the production of premium products. The action plan for the pastoral development of the region includes the recruitment of a veterinarian in the Parnonas Company, investments in processing the animal products, a development study for organic farming and the application of a Guide of Good Practices for Livestock Husbandry.
Forests and livestock husbandry in the prefecture of Arcadia
The prefecture of Arcadia is the largest and the most mountainous region of Peloponnese. Forests cover 27% of the whole area and are restricted in the mountain ranges of Mainalon and Parnonas as well as in the plateau of Thelpousa. The most important forests are those in Mainalon that consist of fir, cover 19,900 ha and have 3.9 million m3 wood stock and mean annual growth 65,000 m3 wood; and in Parnonas that consist of fir and black pine, cover 23,000 ha and have 1,3 million m3 wood stuck and mean annual growth 21,000 m3 wood. Rangelands cover 52% of the whole prefecture and are used mainly by goats (127,000 heads) and sheep (121,000 heads) while cattle are no more than 550 heads. Livestock husbandry contributes 6.4% to the primary sector and involves 3,000 people in 2,000 exploitations. Forest management has many problems due to the lack of sufficient personnel. Wood harvesting is inadequate resulting in accumulation of biomass that is very vulnerable to wildfires. In livestock husbandry, problems are related to the gradual aging of farmers and to the animal feeding. Rangelands are underutilized resulting in degradation and accumulation of biomass which is also vulnerable to wildfires.
