Uxue Sarriegi, technician at the Lurgintza Agricultural Cooperative of Gipuzkoa (Basque Country, Spain) has been working for several years as an advisor within the technnical-economic management program for the Latxa dairy sheep farmers. In this testimony, she will provide her point of view on the situation in the sector, the perception of aspects related to sustainability, and the role played by the LIFE GREEN SHEEP project.
What does your daily work as technical advisors to livestock farms involve?
Our job is to support farmers in the global management of their farms. We analyze both the technical aspects (production, feeding, reproduction, animal welfare) and the economic aspects (costs, margins, and profitability). We also make regular visits, collect data, and prepare reports to help them make decisions or simply to follow up. In short, we ensure that farms are more efficient, sustainable, and profitable.
How would you assess the current technical and economic management of the sector?
More and more farmers understand that keeping detailed technical and financial records is not an expense, but an investment. However, there is still room for improvement: not all farms correctly record their production and sales data, etc., and this is key to making decisions related to profitability and sustainability.
In relation to sustainability, what perceptions do you see among livestock farmers?
I believe that sustainability is not only an environmental issue, but also an economic and social one. The good news is that more and more livestock farmers are understanding this. They need to understand that reducing energy consumption, improving animal welfare, and making better use of pastures has a direct impact on the sustainability of the farm.
And how are issues such as carbon footprint and climate change perceived in the day-to-day running of farms?
These are issues that still generate a certain distance, because many farmers feel that they are abstract concepts. But when they are explained with concrete examples (for example, how improving pasture efficiency reduces methane emissions and also costs), perceptions change. I believe that the key lies in translating these concepts into practical and measurable measures within each farm. On the other hand, it is also true that many livestock farmers feel that society blames them directly for being responsible for climate change, etc. That feeling of being constantly in the spotlight generates frustration, and we as consumers need to recognize the role of livestock farming in sustainability.
What can the Life Green Sheep project contribute?
These types of European projects help to highlight the work already being done at the regional level and transfer knowledge between European partners, providing innovation, training, and resources to measure the environmental impact and carbon footprint of each farm. They allow farmers to see practical examples, compare results, and encourage them to implement improvement measures.
What challenges do you think remain in terms of sustainability within the agricultural and livestock sector?
The main challenge is to make sustainability profitable. We cannot ask farmers to make changes if this does not guarantee them economic stability. That is why we need coherent policies, technical support, and continuous training. We also need better communication with society: consumers need to understand the effort behind sustainable production.
Finally, would you like to add anything else?
That sustainability, with its three pillars (environmental, economic, social), is the future of the sector. Every action counts: improving efficiency, caring for the soil, reducing waste, valorizing by-products, or investing in renewable energy—it all adds up, and they are not alone: there are technicians, projects such as Life GreenSheep, and many tools that can help them move forward on this path.