Assessing Sustainability Disparities Among Typologies of Sheep Farming in Türkiye

Abstract

This research aims to empirically examine the relationship between sustainability level and typological differences among Turkish sheep farms and the success of policy implications. Farm level research data were collected from randomly selected 328 sheep farms in Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Mersin, Antalya, Konya, and Ankara through a structured questionnaire. Farm level sustainability was explored based on a composite sustainability index was created based on the selected 28 indicators attributed to productivity, resilience, adaptability, self-sufficiency, and equity under economic, social, and environmental pillars of sustainability. Research results revealed that the sustainability level of sheep farms varied from 36.54% to 41.19% associated with typology. Sheep farms in Type III (semi-intensive dairy sheep farms) and 5 (intensive dairy sheep farms) had the highest economic sustainability, while sheep farms in Type VI (multi-purpose sheep farms with large land) had the highest social sustainability and sheep farms in Type IV (extensive multi-purpose farms with small land) had the highest environmental sustainability. Sheep farms in Type V (intensive dairy sheep farms) were better performers than others in resilience and productivity. The research results also showed that there had been a gap between current policy implications and the real needs of sheep farms to achieve sustainability and it varied associated with typology. The study suggests considering sustainability level differences by typology when designing and practicing policy related to sheep farming. Reducing the gap between the real needs of sheep farms and current policy implications may increase the efficiency and impact of policy measures related to sheep farming.