Innovation, research, learning processes and transitions towards agroecology

Jean-François Soussana, Scientific Director for Environment,

INRA, Paris, France

Outline

• Contrasted agricultural models in Europe (sustainable intensification vs. agroecology)

• Research and innovation for better using natural regulations in agriculture

• Climate change, a game changer for scaling agroecology?

Eco-efficiency (sustainable intensification): the standard paradigm in Europe

Nevertheless, resilience of specialized systems is at risk !Increased sensitivity to pests and diseases, and to climatic hazards,

Reduced biodiversity and ecosystem services(apart from production)

Increased GHG emissions per unit land (not necessarily per unit product)

Agroecology (and organic farming): an alternative paradigm

Reduced external inputsIncreased resilience to pest & diseases, and to climatic hazards?

Increased on-farm laborIncreased biodiversity and ecosystem services

Reduced GHG emissions per unit land (not necessarily per unit product)

Functional diversity

Ecologicalinfrastructures

Agro-ecology: ecologically grounded production systems fitted to local conditions (e.g. Gliessman et al., 2006)

Agroecology would: Reduce dependency to external inputs and increase resilience to climatic and sanitary hazards, Share land between production and other ecosystem services, diversify food products and diets, Increase or preserve labor in farms (smallholders) and in rural areas.

Agroecology can develop through participatory research supported by advanced knowledge of ecological processes in agriculture and by dedicated technologies (e.g. bio-control, soil biota indicators, etc..) at field and lanscape scales

However, it requires capacity building, dedicated tools and extra-monitoring time, reorganization of up- and downstream industries.

Agroecology (land sharing) paradigm

Thèmes

Biodiversité Paysages/Territoires Cycles

% des exem

ples

0

20

40

60

80

Méthodes

% exemples

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Technologies

Politiques publiques

Coordination acteurs

Formation, Outils

Conception participative

Which role of research in France? INRA and CIRAD have a joined strategy on

agroecology (see leaflets). In France, already in 2013, more than 100 examples

of participatory research involving INRA were discussed during a workshop

Sunflower – Soybeanmixture

Triticale – bean mixture

Durum wheat – Pea mixtureIncreasing crop diversity

(Justes INRA Toulouse)

Genetic diversity and root symbiosesLegume genetic diversity is used for Legume genetic diversity is used for breeding and increasing biological N breeding and increasing biological N fixation with pulses and forage fixation with pulses and forage legumes. legumes.

Crop rotations with legumes emit less Crop rotations with legumes emit less NN22O in long-term field trials than control O in long-term field trials than control monocultures. monocultures.

Service plants (e.g. Service plants (e.g. AlliumAllium sp.) develop sp.) develop mycorhizae colonizing the root systems mycorhizae colonizing the root systems of crop of crop species such as tomato.species such as tomato.

Inoculation with Inoculation with AzospirillumAzospirillum enhances enhances root branching and nutrients uptakeroot branching and nutrients uptake

Restoring soil biology, organic matter and fertilitySoil quality is monitored on a regular (16x16 kms) grid at national scale. Total soil DNA content, which is an estimate of biological activity, is controled by physico-chemical factors (e.g. soil pH) and by land use with lower DNA contents in arable crops compared to grasslands and forests.

Agroecology restores soil biology and fertility e.g. through reduced tillage, increased use of legumes, cover crops and species rich crop rotations. This favours soil carbon sequestration , water and nutrients retention and resilience to climatic variability.

Soils act as nutrients banks with cellulolytic fungi that would control C:N stoichiometry through the priming effect

MANAGING LANDSCAPES AND WATERSHEDS

Modeling the epidemiological incidence for rust of contrasted Modeling the epidemiological incidence for rust of contrasted spatial arrangements of wheat cultivars.spatial arrangements of wheat cultivars.

Generalist rust strains are impaired by a spatial mix of cultivars Generalist rust strains are impaired by a spatial mix of cultivars with contrasted resistance genes (Petit, Lannou et al.)with contrasted resistance genes (Petit, Lannou et al.)

Functional diversity

Ecological networks

Phenotypic

plasticity

Adaptation Evolution

Landscape

ecology

Stoechiometry

Population, meta-community, ecosystem

Theories and concepts derived from ecology Theories and concepts derived from ecology support the design and management of support the design and management of agroecological landscapes. agroecological landscapes.

Restoring wetlands and woodlands buffers strongly reduces pesticide loads Restoring wetlands and woodlands buffers strongly reduces pesticide loads from drained fields and improves donwnstream water qualityfrom drained fields and improves donwnstream water quality

Mixing grasslands and diverse arable crops Mixing grasslands and diverse arable crops provides a sustained resource for pollinators provides a sustained resource for pollinators throughout the yearthroughout the year

Buildup of ecological services (pollinisation, soil and Buildup of ecological services (pollinisation, soil and water conservation, plant and animal health, …) based on water conservation, plant and animal health, …) based on negotiated agreements across stakeholders sharing a negotiated agreements across stakeholders sharing a ‘territory’‘territory’

Biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services

• Grazing exclusion at flowering peak can double butterfly populations in cattle-grazed ‘intensive’ pastures(Farruggia et al., 2012)

• Collective landscape management based on coordination among farmers balances milk production and conservation of shorebirds (Sabatier et al., 2010, 2014)

Integrated management of animal health

- Mobilizing the adaptability of animals (prevention)- Select animals adapted to their breeding environment

- To climate, e.g. heat (small size, low fat, high urine N content)

-To feed restrictions (mobilization of reserves and compensatory growth)- To parasites (trypano tolerance, ticks, digestive strongyles)

- Using the principles of ecology to manage host-pathogen interactions• Adapt practices to reduce susceptibility to pathogens, e.g. disrupt host-pathogen cycles by altering the distribution of animals in space and time (Cabaret, 2007; Prache et al., 2011)

• Use of bioactive plants, (e.g. common sainfoin, Onobrychis viciifolia)to reduce the infestation of small ruminants by digestive strongyles (Hoste et al., 2006)

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Participatory farming system design

(Reau et al, 2012)

Climate change: a game changer for agricultural systems?

• Increasing risks from climatic variability and associated price volatility,

• Increasing demands for drastic GHG mitigation in agricultural and food systems,

• Increased pressures on soils, water resources and biodiversity,

• Changes in plant product composition that could affect nutritional security

2016 crop harvest in France

A 30% decline in wheat yield and a 20% drop in cereal production

A series of climate hazards:Warm winter and early crop development

Cold during wheat flowering, impairing grain formation (meïosis)Excess water in May-June: anoxic conditions and local flooding

Heavy fungal disease pressureLow solar radiation reducing grain filling

Heat and drought in July and August, affecting summer crops (e.g. corn)

How to adapt to increased climatic variability?

Increasing resilience to climatic hazards Precision agriculture and advanced breeding (incremental adaptation)

Breeding shows negative trade-offs between plant (or animal) potential productivity and resilience to climatic hazards,

Water and nutrients use efficiency should be increased, but soil and water resources also are at risk, Crop monitoring , remote sensing and improved weather forecast have large potential

Agroecology: soil and water conservation (systemic adaptation) Integrated water management at catchment scale, Conservation agriculture (no-till, cover-crops, mulch, green manure, etc.), Crop-livestock integration, perennial crops, etc.

Agroecology: diversification: increased resilience at farm scale (transformative adaptation) Crop rotation, grass leys, permanent grasslands, specialized crops, Mixed cultivars, grass-legume mixtures, etc. Agroforestry (improved micro-climate), Diversified landscapes (reduced pest and disease pressure)

Coût (en euros par tonne de CO2e évité) et potentiel d'atténuation annuel en 2030 a l’échelle du territoire métropolitain (en Mt de CO2e évité) des actions instruites.

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* * Agroecology option

Of total mitigation potential:•Ecoefficiency: 60% •Agroecology: 59%•Options in common: 19%

Options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in French agricultureOptions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in French agriculture

What is « The 4 per 1000 initiative : Soils for food security and climate  » ?

=> A multi-stakeholder Initiative launched by France at COP21 with the support of FAOOne of the 6 initiatives of the Agriculture focus of the Lima – Paris Action Agenda (LPAA) 1 objective: increase soil fertility thanks to carbon sequestration in soils=> 3 major outcomes: - Improve food security- Adapt agriculture to climate change- Mitigate GHG emissions

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Conclusions

In Europe, there are multiple options for agroecology that may considerably vary among agro-ecological zones and according to the social, economic and human dimensions of farming systems. Such options include: i) the intensification of extensive systems through an increased use of biodiversity, landscape management (including agroforestry) and recoupling of nutrients and carbon cycles, ii) transitions to organic production systems, which are currently expanding in France for instanceiii) transformation of intensive systems by reducing inputs, especially through crop diversification, crop-livestock integration and agroforestry.

Transitions require an open innovation strategy that takes advantage of the knowledge developed by farmers and integrates their advances within multi-disciplinary and participatory approach that reconnect agricultural sciences, ecology and social sciences.

Climate change and health concerns have a large role for transitions towards agroecology, that require however public policies and market reforms