Evaluation of the sustainability of dairy goat production systems: success and main strength and weakness of their activity in Tuscany

Many research were carried out and published in important scientific reviews on characterisation of goat farming systems in EU and in Italy, but not Tuscany. In this region the amount of goats farms is small, mainly in comparison with sheep, but their productions are very relevant from a qualitative and economic point of view. Dairy goat production systems in Tuscany have been stimulated by the use of natural resources, by the interest on typical productions of high value (as a gourmet food), by the social and environmental role on rural land protection and biodiversity promotion. But, little is known about the success and the main strength and weakness of these systems. A research was taken place in Tuscany in 21 goat farms (2 in AR, 5 in FI, 1 in GR, 1 in LI, 1 in LU, 4 in MS, 4 in PT and 3 in SI provinces), which represent about 80% of the total regional goat farms. The information was obtained through a collection o f primary data from a structured questionnaire consisting in direct interviews with the shepherds. The interview questionnaire included 100 questions relative to a general description of farm characteristics and overall management practices, strength and weakness points of the farm and success of the farm business. About the production system, 48% farms resulted organic, 38% conventional and 14% biodynamic. All 21 producers of goat milk interviewed, have said they want to continue their activity, and 76% of those who have children, 44% said that theirs sons want to continue the activity, 31% don’t know and 25% not, more 1 without children but with a nephew who will continue the activity. 17 producers answered about the main weakness of the goat production systems: 12% have difficulties and problems in marketing the products, 29% complain excessive bureaucracy in conducting the activity, but only 6% declare insufficient income. As the main strength, the quality of the p roducts was emphasized 10 times, followed by the characteristics of the goats themselves, emphasized 3 times, and the short food supply chain, only 2 times. When our database will be completed, with the 100% of the regional goat farms, a statistical analysis will be carried out in two steps: principal component analysis and successive cluster analysis.