Sustainability and multifunctionality in French farms: Analysis
of the implementation of Territorial Farming Contracts |
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| Authors: | Mohamed Gafsi Geneviève Nguyen Bruno Legagneux Patrice Robin |
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| Institution: | (1) Joint Research Unit “Rural Dynamics”, National School of Agronomic Training, Castanet-Tolosan, France;(2) Joint Research Unit “Rural Dynamics”, National Polytechnique Institute – National Superior School of Agronomy, Toulouse, France;(3) Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique, BP 22687, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France |
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| Abstract: | Sustainable agriculture and ways to achieve it are important issues for agricultural policy. However, the concept of sustainability has yet to be made operational in many agricultural situations, and only a few studies so far have addressed the implementation process of sustainable agriculture. This paper provides an assessment of the Territorial Farming Contracts (TFC) – the French model for implementing sustainable agriculture – and aims to give some insights into the ways to facilitate the development of sustainable farming. Using a systems approach, the founding concept of the TFC model, an analysis has been made of the TFCs signed in the Midi-Pyrenees Region in south-western France. The results show that the first aspect of sustainability apparent in farmers’ projects referred to economic objectives. The environmental and social aspects were not foremost in the farming changes undertaken. In addition, the territorial dimension of the TFC was under-addressed. The majority of TFCs reveal a moderate or even low convergence with territorial priorities. These results are explained partly by the dominance of professional farming organizations in the implementation of TFC, and they imply that the organizational social dimensions of sustainability must not be neglected.
Mohamed
Gafsi
is an assistant professor of farm management at the National School of Agronomic Training. He received his PhD in management science at the University of Bourgogne. His research interests include farm management and protection of natural resources, corporate environmental management, sustainable agriculture, and African family farms.
Geneviève Nguyen
is assistant professor in rural economics at the National Polytechnique Institute – National Superior School of Agronomy, in Toulouse. Her research interests include the dynamics of agrarian institutions in uncertain economies, the supply and organization of services in remote rural areas. Her research has been carried out in Europe, Africa, and Asia. She received her MA in Economics and her PhD in Agricultural Economics from the Ohio State University.
Bruno Legagneux
is assistant professor of farm management at the National Polytechnique Institute – National Superior School of Agronomy, in Toulouse. His research interests include farm management and the entry of young farmers into farming.
Patrice Robin
is an engineer agronomist. He received his diploma from the National Superior School of Agronomy, in Montpellier. He is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Toulouse. His research interests include agriculture and rural development, environmental issues, and food quality. |
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| Keywords: | French farms Multifunctionality Social sustainability Stakeholders Sustainable agriculture Systems approach Territorial farming contracts |
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