HNV farming in France Xavier POUX, EFNCP-AScA
An overview of French agrarian geography France at the crossroad of the main biogeographic zones A great variety of geographical zones mountains, hills, plains X humid and dry A great variety of «terroirs» inherited from the XIXth century
An overview of French goegraphy for EU citizens (in 1 mn) Petites régions agricoles
When a large part of French farming systems used to be HNV Livestock system Cultivated forrage Cultivated land = AGER Legumes Export of animal products Manure Manure Cereals Tilled crops Export of crop products Natural forrage Permanent Scrubland Export from saltus Wetlands Semi-natural vegetation = SALTUS Nutrients from the soil/ground
Map of rural landscapes in 1950 Livestock system Cultivated forrage Natural forrage Manure Manure Permanent Scrubland Wetlands Semi-natural vegetation = SALTUS Cultivated land = AGER Legumes Cereals Tilled crops Bocage Openfields Mountains Mosaic landscapes Med. Livestock system Natural forrage Manure Manure Semi-natural vegetation = SALTUS Cultivated forrage Permanent Wetlands Livestock system Natural forrage Manure Semi-natural vegetation = SALTUS Cultivated land = AGER Legumes Cereals Cultivated forrage Tilled crops Permanent Scrubland Wetlands Cultivated land = AGER
Main trends affecting French agriculture Modernisation of agriculture More fertilisers More plant protection products More tractors Less farmers! Saltus decreases (-30% permanent between 1970/2006) Fertilised permanent Forage maize Cultivated More crop Specialisation of farming systems Crop system Grass-based systems Imported protein crops (soyabean)
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 8,0 7,5 7,0 6,5 6,0 5,5 5,0 4,5 4,0 3,5 3,0 Cereal yield 1970-2007) 1,05 1 0,95 0,9 Production index herbivore/ha (constant /ha) 0,85 0,8 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 0,75 RENDEMENT DES CEREALES 0,7 0,65 0,6 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 PRODUCTION PAR HECTARE DES HERBIVORES
Price index since 1960 Price index for main productions (real terms, base 100 = 1960) source : INSEE (France) 120 100 80 between 60/00 : wheat : -79% poultry : -74% pig : -76% beef : -46% 60 40 20 0 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 Wheat Beef Pig Poultry
Development of French UAA since 1989 Evolution des surfaces agricoles françaises surface en ha 35 000 000 30 000 000 25 000 000 20 000 000 15 000 000 10 000 000 5 000 000 0 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 STH peu productive STH productive prairies artificielles et temporaires maïs fourrager betteraves industrielles colza orge, escourgeon, maïs bl jachères 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 STH peu productive STH productive Prairies artficielles et temporaires choux, racines et tubercules fourragers (total) autres cultures fourragères annuelles maïs fourrager autres cultures industrielles) betteraves industrielles Protéagineux autres oléagineux Colza autres céréales orge, escourgeon et Maïs grain/semence blé (total) jachères cultures légumières cultures permanentes 1950 : permanent fertilised ε 1982 : permanent fertilised 40% 1998 : permanent fertilised 66%
Development of UAA and permanent index (1979 = 100) 140 120 100 base 1979=100 80 60 40 Index UAA Index permanent 20 0 1979 1988 2000 1979 1988 2000 non LFA simple LFA Piemont Mountains High Mountains TOTAL
Likely density of type 1 HNV farming systems Likely density of type 2 HNV farming systems
Type 2 HNV : the most drastic decrease in the last decades Mixed farming is the most affected Loss of permanent is the most visible in the mixed regions Low intensity dairy production hardly resists in such conditions What does happen when you go from 3000 kg milk/cow to 7000 kg? Permanent are then intensified
Livestock : = forage : - Livestock : - forage : - -
Pays d Auge
What does happen to type 1 HNV? Still large share of permanent in France But in detail: Intensification Abandonment An insidious shift Towards type 2?
Mostly intensification (dairy and beef) Black & white: Abandonment vs. intensification (dairy and sheep)
Vercors, where permanent is 98% of UAA in 2000
Type 3 In practice: mainly N2000 sites for birds The example of the little bustard (tetrax tetrax): rare and endangered bird with hardly no SNV Is that still HNV? Can it support other components of biodiversity (including saltus)?
Conclusions HNV farming is still rapidly decreasing in France Can we recover large share of type 1 HNV? Maintain the common pasture lands Maps and monitoring should show the main threats (e.g. according to regions and productions) Needs to understand which farming systems should be supported
At landuse and landscape level A bit of everything in each FS? (± type 2) Crops Crops Crops Intensified permanent Extensive permanent Intensified permanent Intensified permanent Extensive permanent Extensive permanent HNV and LNV farming systems? Intensified permanent Extensive permanent Crops Intensified permanent
The future of HNV farming in France Very difficult as «extensification» is rejected by most parties (ex of Saône et Loire) Exception: Beaufort and, in a way Jura What is accepted is a share of agroecological infrastructures (=SNV) in a more intensive context (type 2) Governement is quite reluctant to HNV OK for «grass» and «permanent» Not for extensive Prefered approach: biodiversity in PDO