Pluriactivity and professionalism in buffalo farming system of a High Nature Value farming area in northern Greece

The relation of pluriactivity and professionalism with the buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) farming system was investigated based on statistical analysis of standardized questionnaires and in-depth interviews conducted at the Municipalities of Sintiki and Irakleia, Serres in northern Greece during 2011. In this NATURA 2000 area, 2492 buffaloes (80% of the whole country’s buffalo population) are raised. The data was processed by Pearson test (p≤0.05). In this paper, a distinction between complementary and total pluriactivity is proposed. It was found that buffalo breeders who are not oriented to milk production seem to have enough time to invest in agriculture (-0.540). The implementation of other husbandry -namely goat or sheep breeding simultaneous to buffalo- appears to be compatible with any other activity. Commerce (marketing of buffalo products to end users) tends to be encouraged by the use of agricultural land (for the establishment of temporary pastures and fields that are grazed by buffaloes after crop harvesting during summer) for buffalo breeding (0.555). Agriculture strongly appears to be an alternative occupation (0.789), while commerce seems to be incompatible with professionalism (-0.471). Breeders who feel “professionals” are mainly family employees (0.491) with a long family tradition (0.553). Professionalism does not become weaker in case of small buffalo herds or in case of simultaneous sheep breeding, but only in case of simultaneous breeding of goats (-0.540). The ownership status of agricultural land used for buffalo breeding does not seem to influence professionalism.