The Way to the Agri-Food Transition: Holistic Livestock Management of Sheep and Goats in Canary Islands

How the “holistic management” (Savory and Butterfield, 2018) of small ruminants, particularly sheep and goats, can drive agrobiodiversity and regenerative agricultural practices in the Canary Islands? Through an agroecological framework, this research addresses the essential role that traditional pastoralism and transhumance practices play in fostering sustainable agri-food systems, highlighting the socio-economic importance of the pastoral culture of the Canary Islands through the lenses of holistic livestock management.

Pastoralism in the Canary Islands has long been a vital component of cultural heritage, with shepherds and goat herders using transhumance to move livestock across different ecological zones. This practice reveals many benefits, among which we can find dispersion and diversification of the livestock load, use of endemic species perfectly adapted to local ecosystems, the resilience of grazing lands by preventing overgrazing and maintaining soil health but also enhances agrobiodiversity through the interaction of livestock with diverse plant species that are going to be dispersed through fecal organic matter. In this manner, holistic management of ovine and caprine livestock serves as a regenerative approach to livestock farming, not only promoting biodiversity conservation, soil regeneration, and carbon sequestration while contributing to the local food system but also revealing the value of livestock farming as a basis for maintaining historical social, environmental and economic ties.

The local knowledge embedded in transhumance and herding traditions offers valuable insights for the agroecological transition in the archipielago. However, this process also requires the development of governance tools and grassroots interventions that support the multi-actor collaboration necessary for an effective agroecological transition. By aligning the traditional practices of pastoralists with modern sustainability goals, this paper suggests that a holistic livestock management approach not only benefits biodiversity but also strengthens the agri-food value chain. This approach is crucial for building a more resilient and diverse agricultural system in Europe.