|
|
 |
 |
| |
 Printable version |
Agricultural practices, farming systems and effects on rural areas |
Cahiers Agricultures. Volume 9, Number 1, 29-37, Janvier - Février 2000, Etudes originales
|
 Résumé
Article gratuit
|
Author(s) : Jean-Eudes Beuret, Christian Mouchet |
Summary : Through its external effects, agriculture contributes to shaping the surrounding area, in terms of environment, living conditions, and local economic dynamics. Do these effects differ on different farms? Are they determined by farming practices or the type of farming system? Comparative analysis of these effects could influence economic incentives proposed by public authorities. A comparison of cattle farms was carried out according to their levels of intensification and to their self-sufficiency and extent of grassland (Figure 2). The external effects are often combined, and it is difficult to assess the contribution of each farm: prediction indicators are then used, which associated specific farming activities with a positive or negative effect risk (Figure 1).
The effects on the natural environment first depend on the type of farming system, as clearly shown by some key indicators (Table 1). There is a system of external effects, i.e. a group of effects that react in response to the same determining factors such that an alteration in one of them is followed by alterations in the others. A system of positive environmental effects is thereby generated by reactivation of internal economies within grassland farming systems (Figure 3).
Concerning the conservation and maintenance of the natural heritage, a census and analysis of farmers’ practices (Table 2) showed that these concerns depend on the borders of the farming system (some environmental components that are considered insufficiently productive could be excluded from intensive farming systems and are therefore abandoned, destroyed or made artificial), and on farmers’ requirements (hedrow maintenance requires no competition between fields and field margins, which depend on the intensification level).
An analysis of the effects on land-use and employment patterns in rural areas only showed trends, and this should be pursued further (Tables 3 and 4). The effects of grassland farming systems are quite positive with respect to agricultural employment, but they do not markedly stimulate the local economy, which is due to the production system (size, factor endowment) and its functioning (upstream and downstream flow). There was high heterogeneity in terms of external effects in similar farming systems, expecially for the development period on extensive or grass farms. External effects depend both on the control and type of the farming system.
Beyond the importance of the type of the farming system, some effects also depend on individual choices, according to each farmer’s beliefs concerning rights and duties linked with use of the environment. The fact that these rights are not clearly defined for many parts of the rural environment has given rise to conventional references.
This has an impact on agri-environmental policies. Acting on effects linked to practices means that a change in practices must be paid for; whereas acting on effects determined by the nature of the system involves measures that aim at changing the conditions of choice of farming system. Based on a comparative analysis of farms’ effects, a table can be drawn up to serve as a tool for discussion between farmers and rural area users. Pinpointing the determining factors enhances the targeting of incentives to make them more efficient and, beyond the prevention of environmental damage, to stimulate the positive management of nature and its resources with a proposed analysis method. |
Keywords : |
|
