Objectives

HaloSheep aims to characterize and describe small ruminant production systems based on halophytes and propose agroecological practices and innovations to improve its socio-economic and environmental sustainability in three mediterranean coastal regions. Eight specific objectives are set :

1. Analyse the spatio-temporal flora diversity to identify the most valuable pasture resources and model some species dynamic in a context of climate change.

2. Develop sustainable feeding systems, based mainly on local feed resources and halophytes

3. Evaluate the importance of sheep/goat production in saline areas

4. Assess the genetic diversity of native sheep/goat breeds and investigate the signature selection traces to increase small ruminant resilience under a climate change context .

5. Identify and assess risk factors for animal health and welfare in the areas under study to promote best practices for livestock health and welfare

6. Analyse meat and milk quality produced in the HaloSheep agroecosystem studied areas and investigate the opportunity of labelling these products

7. Study socio-economic and environmental sustainability of the HaloSheep agroecosystem to highlight the potential increase of income for sheep and goat farms in the saline deprived areas

8. Promote HaloSheep agroecosystem principles and best practices