Animal production and land use sustainability - An approach from the farm diversity at territory level

A number of research-development studies of livestock production systems in legions of France which are experiencing local farming crises are describe d. The effectiveness of a national experimental programme for promoting sus tainable regional development is examined at various locations in France. T he experiment focuses on action at the farm level and takes into account th e methodological lessons of the reported research-development actions to ac hieve sustainable land use. The methods of achieving land use sustainabilit y are analysed by studying the diversity of local production systems, farm operation and spatial structure in relation to long-term changes in the cha racteristics of the region. General principles for addressing animal husban dry in a land use sustainability scope ape drawn from this set of experienc es. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.