Transhumance Farming in Swiss Mountains: Adaptation to a Changing Environment
Families living on transhumance farms (Stufenbetriebe) in the Swiss Alps may move with their cattle up to 12 times a year between as many as 4 altitudinal levels. Transhumance farms have come under increasing political pressure to improve their economic performance, which has been hampered by a numb...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
International Mountain Society
2015-02-01
|
Series: | Mountain Research and Development |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-14-00022.1 |
id |
doaj-fcaad028da21438690fd0e762a87681d |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-fcaad028da21438690fd0e762a87681d2020-11-25T01:11:03ZengInternational Mountain SocietyMountain Research and Development0276-47411994-71512015-02-01351576510.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-14-00022.1Transhumance Farming in Swiss Mountains: Adaptation to a Changing EnvironmentChristine Jurt0Isabel Häberli1Ruth Rossier2Agroscope, Tänikon 1, 8356 Ettenhausen, Switzerland; christine.jurt@agroscope.admin.chBern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Länggasse 85, 3052 Zollikofen, SwitzerlandAgroscope, Tänikon 1, 8356 Ettenhausen, SwitzerlandFamilies living on transhumance farms (Stufenbetriebe) in the Swiss Alps may move with their cattle up to 12 times a year between as many as 4 altitudinal levels. Transhumance farms have come under increasing political pressure to improve their economic performance, which has been hampered by a number of factors, such as rising infrastructure costs for meeting animal welfare regulations at multiple farm locations, lack of access roads, and restrictions on the creation of new transhumance farms. Little is known about transhumant farming practices and the role they play in mountain regions. In this exploratory anthropological study, we interviewed 39 transhumance farm family members in 7 Swiss cantons about their history, present situation, and visions of the future. A special focus was the risk perceptions upon which decisions and management strategies are based. The semistructured interviews were analyzed according to principles of content analysis and risk network analysis, with a focus on social, cultural, economic, and political risks as well as natural hazards. The results show that many transhumance farms are undergoing a process of adaptation to a changing social, political, economic, environmental, and cultural context. Transhumance farming has allowed individuals to survive as mountain farmers despite often difficult conditions. This study offers important insights into the risk perceptions and strategies of adaptation to ongoing changes developed by the families on these farms.http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-14-00022.1Transhumance farmingFamily farmRisk perceptionRisk networkAdaptationMountainSwitzerland |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Christine Jurt Isabel Häberli Ruth Rossier |
spellingShingle |
Christine Jurt Isabel Häberli Ruth Rossier Transhumance Farming in Swiss Mountains: Adaptation to a Changing Environment Mountain Research and Development Transhumance farming Family farm Risk perception Risk network Adaptation Mountain Switzerland |
author_facet |
Christine Jurt Isabel Häberli Ruth Rossier |
author_sort |
Christine Jurt |
title |
Transhumance Farming in Swiss Mountains: Adaptation to a Changing Environment |
title_short |
Transhumance Farming in Swiss Mountains: Adaptation to a Changing Environment |
title_full |
Transhumance Farming in Swiss Mountains: Adaptation to a Changing Environment |
title_fullStr |
Transhumance Farming in Swiss Mountains: Adaptation to a Changing Environment |
title_full_unstemmed |
Transhumance Farming in Swiss Mountains: Adaptation to a Changing Environment |
title_sort |
transhumance farming in swiss mountains: adaptation to a changing environment |
publisher |
International Mountain Society |
series |
Mountain Research and Development |
issn |
0276-4741 1994-7151 |
publishDate |
2015-02-01 |
description |
Families living on transhumance farms (Stufenbetriebe) in the Swiss Alps may move with their cattle up to 12 times a year between as many as 4 altitudinal levels. Transhumance farms have come under increasing political pressure to improve their economic performance, which has been hampered by a number of factors, such as rising infrastructure costs for meeting animal welfare regulations at multiple farm locations, lack of access roads, and restrictions on the creation of new transhumance farms. Little is known about transhumant farming practices and the role they play in mountain regions. In this exploratory anthropological study, we interviewed 39 transhumance farm family members in 7 Swiss cantons about their history, present situation, and visions of the future. A special focus was the risk perceptions upon which decisions and management strategies are based. The semistructured interviews were analyzed according to principles of content analysis and risk network analysis, with a focus on social, cultural, economic, and political risks as well as natural hazards. The results show that many transhumance farms are undergoing a process of adaptation to a changing social, political, economic, environmental, and cultural context. Transhumance farming has allowed individuals to survive as mountain farmers despite often difficult conditions. This study offers important insights into the risk perceptions and strategies of adaptation to ongoing changes developed by the families on these farms. |
topic |
Transhumance farming Family farm Risk perception Risk network Adaptation Mountain Switzerland |
url |
http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-14-00022.1 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT christinejurt transhumancefarminginswissmountainsadaptationtoachangingenvironment AT isabelhaberli transhumancefarminginswissmountainsadaptationtoachangingenvironment AT ruthrossier transhumancefarminginswissmountainsadaptationtoachangingenvironment |
_version_ |
1725172928990937088 |