6th European Soil Partnership (ESP) Plenary meeting 28-29 March 2019 FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy Gérard Rass

1. Rural Network
for improvement & dissemination of
Soils Conservation /Restoration Systems
among local farmers communities in France
Gerard Rass gerard.rass@apad.asso.fr
33 6 45 29 16 51 www.apad.asso.fr

2.  European and national funding
 Rural Development pPogram
An official project supported by European
Commission / French Ministry of Agriculture
3 years project : 2018/2021
600 k€ (= 80%)

3. We are a network of local farmers associations
(12 & growing)
 Approx 1000 farms
Growth + 40% last year
 Goal : sustainable systems
on our farms
 Soil Conservation
/Restoration
 Support transition of new
farmers
 Connected with
international networks

4. Our method for transformation / dissemination
Farmers are the key actors of the farming revolution
• Grassroot ecosystem understanding & transformation
• Bottom up innovation
• Farmer to farmer sociological innovation
Sustainable
practices

5. Our project : Network of Farmers to Implement
the Transformation of Farming Systems
 For farmers, by farmers
Mutualisation of know-how
Networking

6. Focus : Implement & Accelerate Adoption of Soil
Conservation / Restoration Systems on Farms
 Understand farmers motivations / needs / drivers /
constraints for change
– Personal : Awareness / Knowledge / Know-how
– External factors : technologies / policies /
economics / sociological
 Put in place the levers to meet farmers needs &
mobilize them :
– Internal mutualization / networking
– External inputs from experts, scientists / policy
makers

7.  National dimension, with local
actions
 Holistic project : technical,
economical, sociological
 Partnership dimension
The perimeter of the project
12 farmers
associations
+ other
networks
Scientists /
experts
Development
agencies

8. The four pilars of the Project
Technical
EconomicalSociological
Networking

9.  National plan for identifying and
developing the levers to support
farmers in their transition
 Performance indicators
managment
 Recommandation of public policies
(CAP, national and local strategic
plans)
Economical

10.  Training
 Open farms, Technical days
 Experiments to improve Ag
Systems (pesticide use, cover
crops, biological soil managment,
etc…)
 Interaction with scientists
Technical

11.  Synergies with other networks, mutualization of differences
 Develop a network of farmers associations and partners in all
territories
Networking
2019 2021 ?!

12.  Develop expertise in stakeholder dialog methodology
 Communication tools to citizen / others farmers / rural actors
A movie for CA sensibilization for Citizen
Sociological

13.  With support of key actors :
industry, researchers, technical
institutes
 With institutional recognition :
Ministry of Agriculture, players
of Rural development
 Connection with stakeholders of
civil society, community
representatives, administration
Engaging Stakeholders : a common project for
society and farmers

14. Our experience as farmers
Soil erosion / degradation
Climate change
Society pressure on pesticides

15. SoCo - Soil Conservation Project JRC - ESDAC - European
Commission – references - Full report -2008-2009
http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC51775/jrc51775.pdf
https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/projects/soco-soil-conservation
https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/projects/soco-workshops
https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/projects/soco-fact-sheets
« Implementing improved Soil Conservation Systems, as
Conservation Afgriculture,
european farmers could produce sustainably all needs for society
& for them :
– abundant supply of food / bioeconomy / renewable energy
– at reasonable price for society
– on viable & resilient farms
– & all ecosystem services of water, biodiversity, climate »
« Next step needed : defining enabling policies to achieve this »

16. Our conviction as “earthworms growers”
Permanent soil cover (never bare soil) :
soil protection, fertility, feed & cover for
microbiome, earthworms, insects, mamals, birds,
etc… permanent photosynthesis, C sequestration
No soil disturbance (No-Till) :
protects soil life, structure, organic matter, all
benefits of vegetal coverage
Less charge for farmers (less fuel, less workload)
Diversity of species (rotation & cover crops mix) :
biodiversity, cheap control of diseases /weeds,
agronomic tool for soil needs
Soil Conservation /Restoration Systems («mimic nature»)
make productive, profitable, resilient farms, living soils &
agroecosystems. They improve our own lives.

17. Conventional (95 % of annual crops in Europe)

18. Permanent diversified
high biomass
production
Planting without soil
disturbance
No soil degradation Productive crops
on rich soil
Soil Conservation Systems (4 % annual crops in Europe)

19. 19

20. 20
ALL FARMERS CAN !

21. Western
Europe
SoCo study
JRC 2009

23. Soil Conservation / Restoration Systems
are promising
We need to continue to transform & improve our farms

24. Next step : introduce animals
They can manage soil & vegetation
sustainably
Complete the cycles of Carbon,
Nitrogen, SOM, nutrients…
Manage weeds
with long rotations
Additional income
Rotational grazing
Holistic management
Mixed animal species

25. Perspectives
What about similar project
at European level ? at International level ?
WE are ready….
….. what about other stakeholders ? ?
Others Funding opportunities ?

26. Perspectives
….. what about other stakeholders ?
Others Funding opportunities ?
WE are ready….

27. The claim of « earthworm growers » farmers
Every terrestrial living organism comes from the soil
& returns to the soil
Degradation of soils & ecosystems are a major threat to
mankind & life on Earth
We better manage them properly
Good news :
for the first time in history of mankind, we farmers are able to
REBUILD soil instead of mining it
We count on the society to support us managing this

28. Thanks a lot
gerard.rass@apad.asso.fr 33 645 291 651
sophie.gardette@apad.asso.fr 33 666 368 841
www.apad.asso.fr