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Opportunities for short rotation coppice production on free-range chicken farms in Flanders: farmers’ perceptions and cost-benefit analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2018

Lisanne M Stadig Open the ORCID record for Lisanne M Stadig [Opens in a new window] ,
Frank A.M Tuyttens ,
T. Bas Rodenburg ,
Pieter Verdonckt ,
Erwin Wauters ,
Lieve Borremans  and
Bert Reubens
Lisanne M Stadig*
Affiliation:
Animal Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Scheldeweg 68, 9090 Melle, Belgium Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820Merelbeke, Belgium
Frank A.M Tuyttens
Affiliation:
Animal Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Scheldeweg 68, 9090 Melle, Belgium Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820Merelbeke, Belgium
T. Bas Rodenburg
Affiliation:
Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Pieter Verdonckt
Affiliation:
Inagro, Ieperseweg 87, 8800 Rumbeke-Beitem, Belgium
Erwin Wauters
Affiliation:
Social Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burgemeester van Gansberghelaan 115, 9820Merelbeke, Belgium
Lieve Borremans
Affiliation:
Social Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burgemeester van Gansberghelaan 115, 9820Merelbeke, Belgium
Bert Reubens*
Affiliation:
Plant Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Burgemeester van Gansberghelaan 109, 9820Merelbeke, Belgium
*
Authors for correspondence: Bert Reubens, Lisanne Stadig, E-mail: bert.reubens@ilvo.vlaanderen.be
Authors for correspondence: Bert Reubens, Lisanne Stadig, E-mail: bert.reubens@ilvo.vlaanderen.be
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Abstract

This paper focuses on systems producing short rotation coppice willows (SRCW) in chickens’ free-range areas. We aim to map chicken farmers’ motivation to implement SRCW, and to assess the economic viability of these systems. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 free-range chicken farmers. Farmers agreed that chickens would prefer SRCW over grassland, which could benefit chicken welfare. They expected establishing an SRCW system would be labor intensive, and doubted if it would be a profitable investment. Some concerns of farmers might be taken away by exchanging information with farmers with SRCW experience. A partial budget analysis was performed to calculate the net present value (NPV) of six different scenarios, differing in the type of chickens, in whether the produced biomass was sold or valorized on-farm and in harvest pattern, all over a 23-yr period. The NPV was positive but low for all scenarios. A sensitivity analysis showed that changes in biomass yield, wood chip price, a price premium for poultry products and current fuel price were most likely to influence the NPV. A risk analysis revealed that NPVs were positive in the majority of the modeled cases. Scenarios in which biomass was used for on-farm heat production showed the highest risk of a negative NPV. A price premium for poultry products may be most effective at increasing profitability, but may only be feasible for farms selling directly to consumers. Establishing a solid market for biomass energy, including guaranteed demand and availability of appropriate machinery for cultivation, may mitigate farmers’ concerns.

Keywords

Economic analysisfarmer opinionnet present valuepoultrywillowwood chips
Type
Research Paper
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 35 , Issue 3 , June 2020 , pp. 286 - 295
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018

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