Optimizing territorial resources to support agroecological transitions: which levers to adapt to climate change in livestock systems in South of France?

Abstract

International audienceAgroecological transitions require to foster frameworks and strategies to optimize the identification, access to and activation of territorial resources. Climate change threatens the durability of natural resources and the stability of favorable socioeconomic conditions for transitions. In this paper, we propose a framework to analyze the degree of agroecological transition in farming systems and the sets of territorial resources already available or required to support this transition. We implement this framework on a case study in South Western France, in the Basque region where PDO cheese are produced. After describing ten types of farming systems, we characterize their proximity to agroecology and their potential resilience and adaptation to climate change. The analysis of territorial resources shows that agroecological transition in this territory is possible and would enhance adaptation to climate change, but require further development of territorial resources which depends on economic and political dynamics at local level. This work contributes to the understanding of agroecological transition at territory level, and proposes a framework to bridge existing methods for their analysis