BFZMRXW8

2254

22 décembre 2020 13:15

22 décembre 2020 13:15

Legume cultivation has been declining for several decades in France and in Europe as a whole. This is the result of the agri-food system lock-in around major crops, which has led to a strong simplification of cropping systems and a specialization of territories, in which legumes have been marginalized. Introducing or increasing legume production on farms has become a key issue in many European countries. Studies investigating the process of change of farmers growing legumes are missing. We analyze here the trajectories of farms cultivating legumes, with a view to understanding how and why farmers have modified their practices over the long term and to what extent this can help to support further introduction of legumes on farms. We interviewed 26 farmers growing legumes, in two French regions (Burgundy and Pays de la Loire), to understand the changes of their practices in terms of legume introduction over time. We developed a methodology to analyze farmers’ trajectories based on the identification of (1) agronomic-coherence phases during which practices are stable and (2) the process of change from one coherence phase to another. The analysis of the 26 trajectories allowed us to distinguish four transitional pathways according to the speed of change, the type of legumes cultivated, and the level of legume introduction. Here, we show for the first time that the transition to a high and sustainable level of legume introduction in farms, whether progressive or as a rupture, required the combination of three levers: (1) the stability of outlets (on-farm consumption or market opportunities), (2) knowledge and local references on the preceding crop effect of legumes, and (3) the farmer’s involvement in peer-networks. Our results constitute a fruitful pathway to encouraging changes for both individual and collective support for farmers to facilitate the introduction of legumes.

Legume cultivation has been declining for several decades in France and in Europe as a whole. This is the result of the agri-food system lock-in around major crops, which has led to a strong simplification of cropping systems and a specialization of territories, in which vegetables have been marginalized. Introducing or increasing legume production on farms has become a key issue in many European countries. Studies investigating the process of change of farmers growing vegetables are missing. We analyze here the trajectories of farms cultivating vegetables, with a view to understanding how and why farmers have modified their practices over the long term and to what extent this can help to support further introduction of vegetables on farms. We interviewed 26 farmers growing vegetables, in two French regions (Burgundy and Pays de la Loire), to understand the changes of their practices in terms of vegetable introduction over time. We developed a methodology to analyze farmers' trajectories based on the identification of (1) agronomic-coherence phases during which practices are stable and (2) the process of change from one coherence phase to another. The analysis of the 26 trajectories allowed us to distinguish four transitional pathways according to the speed of change, the type of legumes cultivated, and the level of legume introduction. Here, we show for the first time that the transition to a high and sustainable level of legume introduction in farms, whether progressive or as a rupture, required the combination of three levers: (1) the stability of outlets (on-farm consumption or market opportunities), (2) knowledge and local references on the preceding crop effect of vegetables, and (3) the farmer's involvement in peer-networks. Our results constitute a fruitful pathway to encouraging changes for both individual and collective support for farmers to facilitate the introduction of vegetables.

None

• AB - Utile à l'AB
• diversification
• FREDO production et filière
• FREDO technologie et innovation
• GEO Europe
• GEO France
• agricultural advisory services
• changes of practices
• innovation
• légumineuses
• trajectory
• transitional pathways

Agronomy for Sustainable Development

39

14

2019-02-11

11 février 2019

10.1007/s13593-019-0559-1 Le DOI est une URL unique de référencement d'une publication. Il est donc plus fiable et permanent qu'une URL classique

1773-0155 L’ISSN est un code de 8 chiffres servant à identifier les journaux, revues, magazines, périodiques de toute nature et sur tous supports, papier comme électronique.