Are support policies for sustainable livestock important? Causality between animal existence and support policies: Vecm analysis for Turkey

Abstract

Parallel to the ever-increasing world population, the demand for animal-derived protein is also increasing. Countries are reviewing animal production growth and development to cover the increasing demand for animal-derived protein. On the other hand, there are intense discussions regarding the protection of the natural resource base and the global environment. The Agricultural Organization (FAO), is considering the concerns at the focus of the discussions, is developing strategies and policy proposals, especially in developing countries, on issues regarding sustainable animal agriculture. In this case, generally, agriculture policies of countries and livestock support policies in particular are important. In addition, the supports are a driving force in the development of animal genetics, increasing the number of animals, development of animal breeds, and enhancing animal welfare. For Turkey, which has a large and growing population, this issue is very important. It is noteworthy in terms of the support for animal production to provide sustainable livestock in Turkey, especially in agricultural policies. In this sense, as a primary target in Turkey, to accelerate the animal presence, a systematic and increasing rate of support payments per animal have been realized since 2000s. In the present study, it was investigated whether livestock support policies had effects on ensuring sustainable livestock in Turkey, moreover the presence of a causality relation between animal presence and support policies was also examined. The Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) was employed to explain the causal relationships. The analyses were applied to the panel dataset for the period of 2004-2014 at the European Union regional statistics system (Nomenclature d'Unités Territoriales Statistiques (NUTS) Level 2 (26 sub-regions) regions. According to VECM results, a bilateral causality was determined between the support payments applied in the short term and animal presence. The result showed that livestock support policies implemented in Turkey is important for the sustainability of animal production. The geographical conditions and the level of economic development of each region in Turkey must be considered, and special support items must be provided at the regional level. © 2021, Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum. All rights reserved.