Evaluation of small ruminant systems sustainability. From conceptual frameworks to implementation

As small ruminant system sustainability appears to be of great importance in and for the Mediterranean Basin context, the conceptual, ethical and methodological bases which could be central for its assessment are explored, with special emphasis on the multi-criteria approaches. Tools such as the Sustainability Tree, MOTIFS, IDEA, MESMIS, are analysed with reference to the nature of the objectives, principles, criteria, and indicators which characterise them and their mode of implementation. Case studies of sustainability assessment of small ruminant systems conducted with the IDEA approach (original or adapted) in Lebanon, Algeria and France, and with the MESMIS methodology in Spain are described. There appears to be a need to develop a generic and robust evaluation method which could be operational in different contexts, as well as references relative to Mediterranean situations.