Relational drivers of the agroecological transition: An analysis of farmer trajectories in the Limagne plain, France

Polge, Étienne; Pagès, Hugo

doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103430

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Néanmoins, le récit à l'échelle de la culture ne permet pas de rendre compte des trajectoires plus générales des exploitations agricoles, échelle généralement préférée pour comprendre les changements de pratiques, notamment agroécologiques, menés par les agriculteurs (Ferraton et Touzard, 2009). Polge et Pagès (2022) ont mobilisé la méthode des narrations quantifiées pour étudier des trajectoires de transition d'exploitations agricoles, mais sans y avoir articulé l'analyse des principes agroécologiques telle que nous la proposons. Il y aurait donc une perspective à croiser ces deux approches dans de futurs travaux.…”

Section: Discussion Sur La Méthode Des Narrations Quantifiées Mobilis...unclassified

The role of farmer collectives developing territorialized supply chains on the agroecological transition trajectories of farms: analysis using the quantified narratives method

Gillerot,

Jeanneaux,

Polge

2024

Analyse De Réseaux Pour Les Sciences Sociales

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Collective action among farmers is regularly presented as a driver for the adoption of agroecological practices on farms. This study proposes to extend the analysis of relational drivers in the implementation of changes in practices beyond peer groups, by looking at their collective organization around territorialized supply chains involving other actors. More specifically, this paper proposes to study the role that this collective organization around territorial supply chains plays in the changes toward agroecological practices carried out on farms.The study of the individual farm trajectories as a chain of events is an approach that allows the understanding and analysis of changes in practices. As we are interested in coordination mechanisms based on interactions between actors as a driver for agroecological transition, we mobilize the framework and tools of social network analysis. In particular, in order to analyse the relational drivers in the trajectories of changes practices, we mobilize the relational chain approach through the method of quantified narratives. This approach allows us to understand changes in practices on farms as collective actions, through the study of relationships activated by farmers in order to have access to different types of resources during their trajectory. Thus, our work feeds the literature mobilizing the method of quantified narratives for the analysis of farm transition trajectories, which we modulate by focusing on the trajectory of a particular cropping system analysed through the agronomic and socio-economic principles of agroecology. We conducted semi-structured interviews with eight farmers who are members of a territorial organic wheat-flour- bread supply chain collective that includes a miller and a baker, all located in the plain of Limagne (Puy-de-Dôme, France). Following these interviews focused on their changes in wheat-growing practices, we identified five phases of agronomic and socio-economic coherence in their trajectories, that we evaluated through the prism of the agroecological principles. We then identified the relationships activated by the farmers to access the various resources needed to carry out the changes in practices during these different phases. Based on their trajectories, a typology of farms was created. This typology helps to understand the different roles played by farmers’ collectives developing territorial supply chains in the different types of farms, by analysing during which phases of the trajectory they intervene, to provide access to which resources, in articulation with which other actors. Although the interests for participation vary between the different types of farms, it appears that the farmers’ collective developing territorial supply chains systematically give access to commercial, cognitive, social and material resources. As a result, they favour access to strategic resources on the farms, making it possible to couple changes in agricultural practices and their economic valorisation. These resources contribute to a change in the farmers' posture during their trajectory, moving from a role of raw material producers to a role of co-designers of agroecological products. L'action collective entre agriculteurs est régulièrement présentée comme un levier pour la mise en oeuvre de changements de pratiques agroécologiques dans les exploitations agricoles. Cette étude propose d'ouvrir l'analyse des déterminants relationnels dans l'adoption de changements de pratiques au-delà des groupes de pairs en s'intéressant à leur organisation collective autour de filières territoriales faisant intervenir d'autres acteurs. Pour ce faire, la méthode des narrations quantifiées a été mobilisée dans le cadre d'entretiens semi-directifs menés auprès des 8 agriculteurs membres d'un collectif filière territoriale intégrant un meunier et un boulanger. L'analyse de ces trajectoires a permis la création d'une typologie des fermes favorisant la compréhension du rôle que joue le collectif filière territoriale dans les changements de pratiques menés par ses différents membres. Bien que les intérêts pour la participation au collectif varient entre les différents types de fermes, il ressort que le collectif donne systématiquement accès à des ressources tant commerciales, que cognitives, sociales et matérielles. De ce fait, le collectif favorise l'accès à des ressources stratégiques dans les exploitations agricoles permettant de coupler la mise en oeuvre de changements de pratiques agricoles et leur valorisation économique. Ces ressources contribuent à un changement de posture des agriculteurs au cours de leur trajectoire, passant d'un rôle d'exécutants producteurs de matières premières à un rôle de coconcepteurs de produits agroécologiques.

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Section: Discussion Sur La Méthode Des Narrations Quantifiées Mobilis...unclassified

The role of farmer collectives developing territorialized supply chains on the agroecological transition trajectories of farms: analysis using the quantified narratives method

Gillerot,

Jeanneaux,

Polge

2024

Analyse De Réseaux Pour Les Sciences Sociales

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“…We believe that the specific cases encountered, situated at the margins of a PS -as well as the links that one may glimpse between the PS and these cases -may reflect an evolution in how farmers develop their PSs. This brings to mind the reflections on the typologies of trajectories and the dynamics of change that farmers adopt when implementing new practices and production methods (Chantre & Cardona, 2014;García-Martínez et al, 2009;Polge & Pagès, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How do farmers choose the professionals with whom they work to ensure herd health management? An approach based on the diversity of prescription systems in dairy cattle farming

Ramat

Gouttenoire

Girard

2023

Rev Agric Food Environ Stud

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Encouraged to design a more agroecological livestock system, farmers today must develop new practices to address herd health management. They must do this on their farms, alongside other farmers, but also with the support of various livestock professionals, such as veterinarians and agricultural advisers, each with their own skills and knowledge. This article analyses how these farmers enlist the aid of different professionals in their quest for a more agroecological approach to herd health management. Drawing on a conceptual framework, based on the prescription relationship concept, we refer to all the professionals involved as a "prescription system".The qualitative analysis of the 26 interviews conducted with French dairy farmers involved in an agroecological approach reveal five types of prescription systems: i) one structured around the farm work collective and a few trusted prescribers; ii) one organised around farmers seeking prescribers and concrete solutions; iii) one extended around an autonomous operator; iv) one oriented towards prescribers capable of promoting transition by encouraging discussions around health; v) one designed to promote precise and technical herd health management.The question, then, is how do these different systems provide farmers with learning opportunities in their quest for agroecological approaches to health management? The extent to which these systems influence farmers' representations of health management, and the manner in which the latter's perceptions of health help to shape these systems, therefore appear to be worth exploring.

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“…Cette typologie a déjà été éprouvée pour divers sujets. On peut notamment identifier quatre grandes thématiques la mobilisant : l'emploi tout d'abord, à la suite des travaux de Granovetter (Chauvac, 2011), l'innovation (Ferru et al, 2019 pour une synthèse) et la création de startup ensuite (Grossetti et al, 2018, Chapus et Nordman, 2021Akerman, 2015 ;Bally et al, 2022) et plus récemment l'agro-alimentaire (Gonçalves et al, 2022 ;Polge et Pagès, 2022) et la santé (Akerman et al, 2018.…”

Section: Une Grille Analytique Des Modalités De Mise En Relation Des ...unclassified

Collective dimension of social innovation projects: the contribution of relational chains

Ferru,

Omer

2024

Analyse De Réseaux Pour Les Sciences Sociales

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Numerous projects, which today are described as social innovations, are being developed in response to the recent crises to meet various unsatisfied social needs (housing, climate, ageing, inequalities, etc.). Their highly collective nature implies a better understanding of the ways in which the partners involved in these projects are connected, which we propose to do using the relational chain method. The data collected using this method highlights the significant use of non-personal arrangements (circles and calls for projects) to obtain the support of institutions (local authorities) or organisations (foundations); interpersonal relationships—essentially professional—appear to be mobilised less frequently and mainly to access the world of research. De nombreux projets qualifiés aujourd'hui d'innovation sociale se développent face aux crises récentes pour répondre à différents besoins sociaux non satisfaits (logement, climat, vieillissement, inégalités, etc.). Leur nature éminemment collective implique de mieux comprendre les modalités de mise en relation des partenaires impliqués dans ces projets, ce que nous nous proposons de faire en mobilisant la méthode des chaines relationnelles. Les données collectées grâce à cette méthode mettent en évidence le recours important aux dispositifs non personnels (cercles de l'ESS et appels à projets) pour obtenir le support d'institutions (collectivités) ou d'organisations (fondations) ; les relations interpersonnelles-essentiellement professionnelles-apparaissent quant à elles mobilisées plus rarement et principalement pour accéder au monde de la recherche.

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Relational drivers of the agroecological transition: An analysis of farmer trajectories in the Limagne plain, France

Cited by 10 publications

References 60 publications

The role of farmer collectives developing territorialized supply chains on the agroecological transition trajectories of farms: analysis using the quantified narratives method

The role of farmer collectives developing territorialized supply chains on the agroecological transition trajectories of farms: analysis using the quantified narratives method

How do farmers choose the professionals with whom they work to ensure herd health management? An approach based on the diversity of prescription systems in dairy cattle farming

Collective dimension of social innovation projects: the contribution of relational chains

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