Management tools for agricultural biodiversity : a model for the classification of autochthonous livestock breeds

Livestock biodiversity is steadily decreasing worldwide due to the replacement of local breeds with so-called industrial breeds, standardized for high productions of milk or meat. This paper is aimed at proposing new strategies and tools for management of local breeds. Considering the state of conservation of local breeds in the Lombardy Region, we analyze the policy environment, from global to regional scale, and the economic opportunities despite the uneconomic characteristics of ancient livestock breeds. The paper is divided in two main sections: the first one is focused on livestock biodiversity policies and the state of conservation in Lombardy, the second presents a AHP-SWOT analysis of the autochthonous breeds. Data processing shows the low competitiveness of the productive sector linked to livestock biodiversity, but it indicates the presence of marketing factors exploitable for economic revitalization of autochthonous breeds and their products. The results show different opportunities among the breed considered and indicate some way of intervention. The development of a new market for livestock biodiversity should still pass through public intervention aimed at stimulating local projects which, in addiction to encouraging breeding activities, decreases the weaknesses of the sector and enables the development of unique local products.