Greece
Socioecological Research on the Island of Samothraki
Athens
Dominik Noll, Julia Huber, Panos Petridis, Simron Jit Singh and Marina Fischer-Kowalski
Introduction The Greek island of Samothraki has undergone vast changes in the last five decades. The island had a typical agrarian socio-metabolic profile until the 1960s and has turned towards introducing a – however still moderate amount of - tourism, while at the same time responding to EU agricultural subsidies by increasing the number of small ruminants which threaten the conservation goals of the large NATURA 2000 area covering two thirds of the mountaineous island. Our ongoing research aims at restoring and improving
the sustainability of the island, based on a systemic socioecological approach (Figure 1) to strengthen synergies between agricultural, tourism and local services (Fischer-Kowalski et al. 2011) and support the island community in its efforts to turn Samothraki into a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (Chanos et al. 2013). In this presentation, we focus on the interlinkage between the livestock system and local food practices, in search for achieving synergies.
The Local Livestock System
The Local Food System Mainland
Greek State
EU local population
Small Ruminant Population Samothraki 1961 - 2012 80.000 70.000
Natural Change
60.000 animal numbers
experie nce
es t s wa
50.000
marine ecosystem terrestrial ecosystem
agriculture & fishing
tourism services
local services
livestock
infrastructure
infrastructure
legal system local culture
Political Legal Cultural Change
INFORMATION
Increasing numbers of small ruminants (sheep & goats) since the 1960s (Figure 2) lead to ecosystem degradation and infrastructure destruction, also known from other islands in the region (Kizos et al. 2013), while farmers still earn little money.
40.000
me ce n a anin gful guid
es c r resou
30.000 20.000
Shifting towards more local and healthier food, for local people as well as tourists, would strengthen the synergy between the two main economic sectors of the island. This needs to combat the currently in Southern Europe ongoing shift away from a typical Mediterranean diet towards a western supermarket culture (Alexandratos 2006). In a local study on food supply and consumption patterns Huber (2016) explores the opportunities for supporting the survival of “food-traditionalism” in a modernized setting. Based on interviews with a stratified sample of locals, she identified a strong preference for local and healthy food partially reflected in:
visitor population
10.000 0
natural causation
10
20
05
20
00
20
5
199
0
199
5
198
0
198
5
197
0
197
5
196
0
196
High consumption levels of fresh fruits, vegetables and olive oil (traditional Greek diet), often acquired through local informal supply chains (Figure 5).
money cultural causation
Figure 2: Population development of small ruminants on Samothraki from 1961 to 2012; Source: 1961-1993 based on calculations by Nina Fuchs (2014); 1994-2012 based on Elstat data
matter, services
hybrid causation
There is overgrazing, biodiversity loss and massive soil erosion, also harming the attractivity of the landscape for tourists (Figure 3).
human time, labour
A share of about 50% of all consumed food (Figures 6 and 7) that is acquired from local sources.
Figure 1: Comprehensive model of the island’s socioecological system
Young people, however, are further down the line towards a western diet.
Happy Goats App
Food Consumption by Food Groups per Day
(http://happygoats.eu)
Was developed in collaboration with Greek (Integrated) and German (Zalf) partners. Can be used by farmers to project their year’s income and guide their decision making towards their number of livestock.
gram
Based on our previous research showing that a reduction of livestock numbers can save cost and labor time and even improve profits (Fuchs 2015).
1800 1700 1600 1500 1400 1300 1200 1100 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0
e ffe co ol oh ies alc str pa oil uff ve oli dp an s
e liv
3rd Quartile (50-75% of the sample)
ts
do an
ee
sw
ts nu
its fru les tab ge ve es d um oo leg af se nd
at
ha fis
me
gs eg s oe tat po
als
re
ce
iry da
2nd Quartile (25-50% of the sample)
Figure 5: Median food consumption by food groups per day (in g): respondents’ daily food consumption of 14 food groups during May-October (N=34).
Sources of Consumed Food 9%
Figure 3: Severe erosion on Samothraki
Supporting farmers to improve their income Reducing grazing pressure on ecosystems Restoring areas affected by high levels of erosion
47%
hm
on
ge
s
/ nds e i r /f ly urs fami hbo
Is currently tested in collaboration with Portuguese partners (Terra Prima, a Lisbon Technical University spin-off) and local farmers in very erosionprone areas. References Alexandratos, N. (2006) The Mediterranean diet in a world context. In: Public Health Nutrition, 9 (1A), 111-117. Chanos, G.M. & M.I. Scoullos (2011) Samothraki UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve nomination form. Athens: Greek National MAB Committee. Fischer-Kowalski, M., L. Xenidis, S.J. Singh, and I. Pallua (2011) “Transforming the Greek Island of Samothraki into a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. An Experience in Transdisciplinarity.” GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society 20 (3): 181–90. Fuchs, N.A (2015) Sozial-ökologische Effekte der EU-Agrarsubventionen: Fallstudie zur ökologischen und ökonomischen Nachhaltigkeit der Schaf- und Ziegenzucht in Griechenland. Saarbrücken: AV Akademikerverlag. Huber, J.D. (2016) Food Consumption Patterns of the Local Population on the Greek Island of Samothraki. A social-ecological perspective. (Master’s thesis) Alpen Adria University, Vienna Kizos, T., T. Plieninger, and H. Schaich (2013) “‘Instead of 40 Sheep There Are 400’: Traditional Grazing Practices and Landscape Change in Western Lesvos, Greece.” Landscape Research 38 (4): 476–98. doi:10.1080/01426397.2013.783905.
rm
e up
rs
44%
min i ma rket ba ke ry
g
nei
t ke r a
r he tc d bu inlan ma
Further analyzing the local livestock system
Application of special combinations of Mediterranean legumes and grasses that improve the soil quality and have a higher resistance to grazing.
fis
homemade/own
Our research strategy aims at:
Biodiverse Sown Pastures
rs/
ut
Farmers income is declining, suffering from changing EU subsidies and rising feed prices, while local animal products are underutilized.
me
go
Feed imports are required to maintain the high livestock numbers.
far
in eat
Figure 5: Happy Goats App (Integrated)
partly imported / partly local
imported
local
Figure 6: Distribution of food sources (May-October; N=34)
Sources of Consumed Meat
41%
16%
Figure 7: Sources of locally consumed meat (May-October; N=34)
poster content: Dominik Noll (
[email protected]); graphic design: Liliana Calapez; project webpage: www.sustainable-samothraki.net
43%
