Understanding how farmers last over the long term: a typology of trajectories of change in farming systems. A French case-study

In the current context of market fluctuation on agricultural products prices, European agriculture is endangered. In hilly areas, the orientation of CAP policy promoting specialization added to an always increasing lack of work forces challenges the future of farms. Nevertheless, farmers found how to adapt to local context to last on the long term. In this study, we try to assess the diversity of the adaptative strategies developed by farmers to last in analyzing their trajectories of change. Our study aims to understand the variety in trajectories of farms from 1950 up to now. We applied an integrated approach to the farm population of a case-study site, in the Coteaux de Gascogne. In this hilly region of south-western France, agriculture maintained with a limited specialization of production. We made a survey of the history of every farms working land in an area of about 4000 ha. We used a two steps-analysis including : (i) a manual assessment of the trajectory of each farm and (ii) a typology of farm trajectories build on a combination of multivariate analysis on a set of data composed by 20 variables for 50 farms on 10-year steps. The interpretation of the types was based on the results of the manual assessment. The resulting 6 types of trajectories reflect different objectives and strategies. Farmers found different “paths to last” in a same local context (environmental, political and economic). In two types of trajectories, farmers became specialized, in the other ones, farmers maintained more traditional systems, based on a crop-livestock association. This typology was validated by local farmers. Our results stress out the importance to understand the systemic functioning of farms to study local change in agricultural systems. In a next step of our study these results will be used in a participatory future process with local stakeholders, through co-constructed prospective scenarios

Quelles stratégies pour un maintien de la polyculture-élevage ? Une étude des trajectoires passées d’exploitations dans les coteaux de Gascogne

La polyculture-élevage est de plus en plus reconnue au plan international comme un moyen de limiter les problèmes environnementaux tout en permettant une agriculture productive et économiquement viabl

Quelles stratégies pour un maintien de la polyculture-élevage ? Une étude des trajectoires passées d’exploitations dans les coteaux de Gascogne

L’agriculture est-elle toujours une affaire de famille ? Cet ouvrage analyse les transformations du caractère familial de l’agriculture en France, mises en perspective avec quelques éclairages de situations dans les pays du Sud. La première partie de l’ouvrage rend compte des recompositions de l’exploitation agricole et de ses enjeux, exploitation qui est de moins en moins familiale, tout en le restant. Elle propose des cadres d’analyse élargis pour les appréhender. Les transformations des formes familiales d’agriculture sont abordées dans une deuxième partie par l’étude des mutations qui s’opèrent dans le travail en agriculture. Ces mutations amènent à questionner le sens du travail et les interfaces avec le vivre en famille et les activités non-agricoles, au-delà des seules problématiques d’organisation et de performances technico-économiques. La troisième partie de l’ouvrage montre que les cadres structurant l’activité agricole dépassent le champ de la famille et se renouvellent, en particulier dans les formes d’insertion territoriale, dans les modalités des processus d’innovation et par des reconfigurations de l’action collective de proximité. Finalement, les transformations du caractère familial, saisies dans le temps long des trajectoires d’exploitations, sont aussi observées dans les formes et stratégies de pérennisation et de transmission, qu’il s’agisse de transmettre un statut, une activité, une entreprise, un patrimoine, un outil de production ou encore des savoir-faire. Une synthèse conclusive propose un renouvellement des questions de recherche et plaide pour un décloisonnement des études en agriculture. L’ouvrage rassemble des travaux de recherche récents de chercheurs issus du département Sciences pour l’action et le développement (Sad) de l’Inra et de ses partenaires scientifiques et professionnels. Il fait une large place à des travaux de jeunes chercheurs et à des thèses récemment soutenues. D’abord destiné aux chercheurs et enseignants-chercheurs, il s’adresse également aux organisations professionnelles (instituts techniques, réseaux associatifs, syndicats, chambres d’agriculture, etc.)

Farmland biodiversity and agricultural management on 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions

Farmland is a major land cover type in Europe and Africa and provides habitat for numerous species. The severe decline in farmland biodiversity of the last decades has been attributed to changes in farming practices, and organic and low-input farming are assumed to mitigate detrimental effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity. Since the farm enterprise is the primary unit of agricultural decision making, management-related effects at the field scale need to be assessed at the farm level. Therefore, in this study, data were collected on habitat characteristics, vascular plant, earthworm, spider, and bee communities and on the corresponding agricultural management in 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions. In 15 environmental and agricultural homogeneous regions, 6–20 farms with the same farm type (e.g., arable crops, grassland, or specific permanent crops) were selected. If available, an equal number of organic and non-organic farms were randomly selected. Alternatively, farms were sampled along a gradient of management intensity. For all selected farms, the entire farmed area was mapped, which resulted in total in the mapping of 11 338 units attributed to 194 standardized habitat types, provided together with additional descriptors. On each farm, one site per available habitat type was randomly selected for species diversity investigations. Species were sampled on 2115 sites and identified to the species level by expert taxonomists. Species lists and abundance estimates are provided for each site and sampling date (one date for plants and earthworms, three dates for spiders and bees). In addition, farmers provided information about their management practices in face-to-face interviews following a standardized questionnaire. Farm management indicators for each farm are available (e.g., nitrogen input, pesticide applications, or energy input). Analyses revealed a positive effect of unproductive areas and a negative effect of intensive management on biodiversity. Communities of the four taxonomic groups strongly differed in their response to habitat characteristics, agricultural management, and regional circumstances. The data has potential for further insights into interactions of farmland biodiversity and agricultural management at site, farm, and regional scale

Mixed crop-livestock farming: an economical and environmental-friendly way to intensify production?

International audienceIntensification and specialization of agriculture allowed increasing its productivity but also induced detrimental impacts on the environment and challenges for the economical viability of numerous farms. Association between livestock and crops, which was common in the past, is given consideration worldwide. It is regarded as a possible way for improving nutrient cycling while reducing chemical inputs, increasing sustainability of natural resources management, and also generating economies of scope. Mixed crop-livestock farming systems could therefore be a favourable alternative to specialized livestock systems. In this paper we address their environmental and economic advantages from a comparative assessment of real-life specialized and mixed farms in the region ‘Coteaux de Gascogne’ in Southwestern France. In this hilly region with frequent summer draughts, agriculture includes cattle and cash crop production. 47 % of the farms have a mixed crop-livestock production, the remaining been specialized either in crop (14%) or cattle production (39%). We made an exhaustive survey of the farms working land in a small area of about 4000 ha to assess local farming systems and farmers’ practices and strategies as regards farm and land management. We analysed farm diversity in reference to economic and environmental criteria. Our results pointed out an intensification gradient from low to high input farming systems amongst local farms. Beyond some general trends (e.g. dairy production more intensive than beef production), a wide range of management practices and intensification degrees was observed amongst farming systems of a similar orientation. Mixed crop-livestock farms appeared very heterogeneous as regards the use of external inputs. We compared intensification degrees in local livestock and mixed crop-livestock farms and discussed their respective advantages in reference to the feed cost per cow the income per work unit and the local challenges attached to land-use change