Speaker
Description
Introduction.
In France, numerous public policies and private schemes have been implemented to support the development of agricultural systems that are less dependent on chemical inputs, and rely on landscape restructuring to preserve the environment and biodiversity. These policies have led to changes in cropping and livestock systems that can be assessed at territorial level.
Previous studies have shown that crop rotation and succession are strong indicators of changes in cropping and livestock systems (Mignolet et al., 2004; Ballot et al., 2017) used to propose prospective scenarios (Debolini et al., 2013). Nevertheless, the various factors influencing changes in crop succession and rotation, at the territorial scale, have rarely been studied.
In this study, we have focused on changes in crop succession observed over the past 15 years in two contrasting territories in France. Our objective is to characterize the influence of national and territorial drivers of the changes observed in crop succession and their effects on pesticide use at the territorial scale.
Materials, Methods.
Two contrasting territories in terms of pedoclimatic conditions, cropping systems and factors influencing them have been selected for this study: the Regional Natural Park of Pilat (70,000 ha) and the PDO Chaource production area (327,900 ha).
Changes in cropping and livestock systems were characterized by using the LPIS data, organic farming areas declarations, and crop succession. Crop succession were characterized for the period 2007 - 2021 for these two areas and the French departments in which they are located (Martin et al., 2021).
Factors influencing changes in cropping and livestock systems were identified through interviews with local stakeholders (e.g. farmers, agricultural advisors, political actors). A complementary analysis of available documentation and regulations was also carried out.
Results and Discussion.
The work presented here focuses on the PDO Chaource area which is located in two departments and shows that changes in crop successions over the last 15 years have been limited. One of the main factors of change in the area is the abandonment of livestock farming in favor of cereal crops, resulting in a 20% decrease in farms producing PDO Chaource milk over the past decade. Interviews highlighted that this decline of livestock farms that produce PDO Chaource has been observed despite the tangible benefits this designation offers, such as increased milk prices and positive consumer perception. However, this decline does not affect the production of Chaource cheese, as milk production currently surpasses demand. Consequently, milk that is not sold under the PDO label is being revalorized through various means.
This decline in livestock farming has led to the replacement of meadows by cash crops, which in turn has increased the risk of phytosanitary pressure on the area. Nevertheless, this replacement is hindered by the soil's characteristics, which are not conducive to cereal cultivation, and by the adoption of agri-environmental measures aimed at reintroducing grass into meadows in specific regions.
Organic farming is expanding in both departments, with an average increase in certified areas of 26% between 2021 and 2022, but remains concentrated in specific areas to facilitate collection, storage and processing facilities. Finally, diversifying crops remains challenging due to limited markets for specialized crops like soybeans, and the diverse composition of soils within the PDO region.
References.
Ballot R., Soulié M., Guichard L., Mignolet C., Pelzer E., 2017. Analyse des systèmes de culture présents en Bourgogne, Midi-Pyrénées et Pays de la Loire. [Contrat] 2017. hal-02790040
Debolini M., Schoorl J.M., Temme A., Galli M., Bonari E., 2013. Changes in Agricultural Land Use Affecting Future Soil Redistribution Patterns: A Case Study in Southern Tuscany (Italy). Land Degrad. Develop. 26: 574–586 (2015). Published online 3 May 2013 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2217
Martin, P.; Rabenandrasana, N.; Poméon, T.; Serard, P., 2021, "RPG Explorer Crop successions France 2007-2014, 2007-2019, 2015-2019", https://doi.org/10.15454/XH84QB, Recherche Data Gouv, V2, UNF:6:WJbvCafksh00/+PmNl2Zcg== [fileUNF]
Mignolet C., Schott C., Benoît M., 2004. Spatial dynamics of agricultural practices on a basin territory: a retrospective study to implement models simulating nitrate flow. The case of the Seine basin. Agronomie, EDP Sciences, 2004, 24 (4), pp.219-236. <10.1051/agro:2004015>. <hal-00886024>
| Keywords | territorial dynamics ; crop succession ; pesticide use |
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