Determining factors and trajectories analysis to support system diversification : mixed orchard animals and mixed orchard vegetables systems

Abstract

Fruit production is one of the largest users of pesticides among the agricultural productions, consequently leading to detrimental effects for environment quality and human health. In a context of pesticides use reduction and agriculture ecologization, mixed orchard animals and mixed orchard vegetables systems are arousing curiosity of both producers and researchers. Through a sequence of semi-structured interviews with technical advisors and producers in mixed orchard system, an overview of producers’ profiles, motivations, system design and trajectories have been realized. Thus, the question that aroused was: What key elements may be extracted from these producers’ personal experiences to provide a suitable support to producers and future project holders? The interviews highlighted a high diversity of producers’ profiles, motivations and system design which consequently influence producers’ trajectories. Among this diversity, decisive factors in the implementation choices of a mixed orchard system have been identified such as the initial production, the distribution circuit and the lack of suitable knowledge and support available. To deal with this acknowledged lack, research and technical structures are facing two options: references creation by on-farm agronomic, economic and environmental performances evaluation and formal or informal networks animation.