Nadège Godfroy

Hello Madame Godfroy,

Thank you for agreeing to answer our questions. We will discuss together the theme of agriculture in France and the many challenges it faces,

 

• But first, could you explain to us what the missions of the Optival cooperative consist of, in which you have been an agro-environmental consultant for more than 8 years now?

Seenorest is the alliance of two cooperatives: Optival (departments 54-55-88) and Oxygen (departments 62). We are organizations of piloting indicators and advice in breeding. We support breeders on a daily basis to monitor their herds and optimize their technical, economic and environmental results.

• All these years spent in the heart of the agro-environment have given you a great knowledge of the French agricultural world, which naturally brings me to my first question: how is farming in France?

This is a question that is difficult to answer without making generalizations. The situation is very different depending on the regions, sectors and production methods. Overall, agriculture is at a turning point in its history. The demands are no longer the same as those of the post-war period: we are in a context of profound changes. The will is no longer to produce more but better.

• 400,000 farmers in France today, that's 4 times less than 40 years ago. Does the sector no longer attract young people or women? Are you worried about this trend?

Indeed, there are fewer farmers, but the farms have grown. 40 years ago, agriculture was still very family-run: small farms, the whole family who worked there. Today, agricultural structures have grown and technology means that we are able to produce as much (or even more) than before, with less labor. On the other hand, a large proportion of farmers will retire within 5-6 years, and we do indeed fear a lack of renewal.

• Today, farmers are asked to be real players in sustainable development. On top of that, they need to be productive, competitive, profitable. At the same time, they face increasingly difficult climatic hazards. You are in contact with them on a daily basis, how do they manage to withstand all this pressure and these constraints?

The climatic vagaries which have been linked for 5 years have exacerbated the tensions on farms: yield losses on cash crops, shortages of fodder… Unfortunately, we will have to deal with it: it is a direct consequence of climate change. Scientists have sounded the alarm for decades. Here we are ... We support farmers on both sides: adaptation to climate change, to make their systems more resilient, and climate change mitigation, to reduce the environmental impact of their farms. What should be kept in mind is that the technical optimization of agricultural practices goes hand in hand with a better economic valuation and also a lower environmental impact. Sustainable development in agriculture is not a constraint: it is a whole that contributes at different scales to the sustainability of farms.

• Traditional agriculture as we have known it for decades gives way to modern agriculture, highly mechanized, highly regulated by public authorities and professional bodies; an agriculture which must lead, like many other sectors of activity, its ecological transition. Do you think that the various stimulus plans such as aid for the renewal of agro-equipment, and the environmental policies carried out by the government are sufficient?

The transition demanded from agriculture must be rapid. Certain damage to the environment, in particular climate change (for which agriculture is not the only one responsible!), Must be limited very urgently, before it becomes irreversible. In this emergency situation, aid is essential to accelerate, support and sustain change. In my opinion, the aids should only be an instant infusion to trigger the transition and help to get over the course.

• Are all farms eligible for the various aids?

The attributions of aid are complex processes. Depending on the type of investment targeted, the aid is different and so are the eligibility conditions. Overall, whatever the type of operation, aid can be requested. Their amount will depend on the projects ...

• We know that a good number of farmers are, today, in very precarious economic and financial situations and personal tragedies regularly feed the various facts. What should be done, in your opinion, to provide solutions to these dramatic situations? Large-scale distribution, which weighs heavily in France, does it bear part of the responsibility by imposing unacceptable commercial conditions? Should the government legislate more firmly in this area?

I am not a legal professional: I do not know how far the State can and must concretely intervene to set prices. In any event, we realize that there is a problem somewhere in the system. Despite the aid they receive, a certain number of farmers do not pay themselves up to the hours worked. It is nevertheless, to my knowledge, the only sector of activity which does not decide itself the price at which it will sell its products. It's quite special ... A complete overhaul of the system would be necessary but it will take time. In the meantime, the consumer, by choosing certain products rather than others, has a real weight in the sector. It is we, individually, who can accelerate change, through our acts of consumption, so that products and producers are remunerated at their fair value.

• Agriculture has long been accused of polluting soil, air, water, of being a major emitter of greenhouse gases. How do you think it is possible to change this image? Can we build a sustainable and efficient agroecology devoid of harmful inputs or other plant protection derivatives?

Like all industries, right? No human activity is environmentally neutral ... Agriculture has a historical flaw: we are very poor communicators. And as Nature does not like emptiness, we leave room for very virulent detractors. Yes, a more ecological agriculture is possible (and moreover in the process of spreading everywhere in France), but we must also recognize all the positive externalities of the sector which already exist, but which we have taken for granted. Who maintains the hedges in the Normandy countryside? Who maintains an open landscape in the Vosges mountains? Who values the prairies of Auvergne? And there, I speak only of visible things. We can also evoke the storage of carbon or the filtration of water provided by the meadows, themselves maintained by agriculture.

• Deforestation is a hot topic these days. In one of our articles, we wondered if we were not going head-to-head in terms of the timber trade in France but also in the world. Whole swathes of French forests are being decimated to fuel the timber trade and at the same time, agro-forestry is strongly encouraged by the public authorities, which urge farmers to carry out agroforestry projects in order to fight against climate change, improve the quality of soils, limit their erosion and thus increase crop yields while making agriculture more sustainable. Doesn't that seem a bit schizophrenic to you? Does the management of wood and forests in France seem coherent to you?

I have no expertise in timber and forest management, I cannot answer this question. Sorry !

• Regarding organic, it now seems difficult for a farmer to escape this trend which is very successful and which is developing almost everywhere. Would you say that organic represents a solid and sufficiently profitable growth driver for farmers or that it entails, on the contrary, too many constraints and additional costs?

Organic farming is indeed booming. Why ? Because it responds to several issues. It responds to a demand from consumers who are looking for products produced in accordance with specifications. It responds to a philosophy of farmers who wish to work differently, with practices closer to natural cycles. It also responds to a need for better economic development for the agricultural sector. The conversion to organic has exploded in recent years. Environmentally, I see it in a good light: to understand your agricultural system in a different way, to complete the production cycles (animal - plant - soil link) and to take a decision-making role (organic farmers are generally more autonomous than their counterparts in conventional agriculture) . Economically, I wonder about the future of this label. The organic sector must absolutely remain in control of its future and avoid falling into the same trap as the conventional sector. These additional constraints must remain profitable for producers. If producers remain united, they will be able to defend their values and the added value of their products. Perhaps this is an answer to your previous question, on the economic situation of farmers.

• How do you see the CAP?

The CAP is THE lever to use to guide investments and support the production systems that we want to see developed in the years to come. It is she who designs the sectors and farms. For me, she is responsible for the agricultural landscape today. Farms have adapted to meet the challenges of past decades. I dare to hope that the new CAP will give the necessary impetus to support the structural changes that await the industry for decades to come.

• Has the creation of the European common market been beneficial to French agriculture?

I don't really have any hindsight on this question ...

• Let's step outside our borders if you don't mind. How is agriculture doing among our neighbors? In the course of your work, I imagine that you pay attention to what is being done elsewhere. Is there a country in the world that has put in place an efficient and exemplary agricultural model that could serve as a benchmark?

It would be too simple if we could trace a system! Each country has its strengths and its pedoclimatic, societal and land constraints. We can take inspiration from what is being done elsewhere, but we will never be able to implement it at home as it is. A simple but telling example: Ireland and its green meadows, it's great for producing milk and grass-fed meat, but difficult to adapt in the drying Aveyron ... Exchange networks, both for technicians than for farmers, remain the most effective method for drawing inspiration from what is being done elsewhere. While keeping in mind that the grass is not greener in its neighbor! (except if it rains often) More seriously, French agricultural systems remain rather respectful of the environment, compared to American feed-lots or Brazilian GM soybean fields. Of course, we can improve, but we must not deny the work that has been carried out for years.

 

• One last subject, and not the least. By 2050, the world population is expected to reach 10 billion human beings. The question that immediately arises is to know how agriculture will be able to feed the living? And by living, I mean people but also animals. The ecological challenges will be even higher than today.

It's a real issue, but is it really playing out on a global scale? On the western side, we are going to have to actually change our consumption habits. We eat too much, too much fat, too sweet, too salty… And this inevitably impacts the environment. And on the other hand, some countries have food shortages. In my opinion, it is necessary to get rid of the head that French meat and milk will be used to feed the world. The prices of our products are very low because they are heavily subsidized. They therefore end up cheaper than local products in Africa (for example), which kills local agriculture. This system contributes to limiting the agricultural development of these countries and, by ricochet effect, agriculture which wants to feed the world leads to localized famines. We have done a lot of trouble to want to do well. Another major lever to operate: limit food waste. When we know that a third of the foodstuffs produced will never be consumed, that leaves one wondering ...

 

• How to feed and repair at the same time? how to exploit and preserve at the same time? Will it be possible to reconcile all of this without resorting to intensive agriculture that is inherently destructive?

Yes I believe in it! It's a real challenge, but it is possible. Some farms have already started their ecological (and economic!) Transition decades ago. They are pioneers in their field and serve as an example to others. A deep transition does not happen overnight. Many farmers are changing their production methods, but they are working with Nature and change takes time.

 

I have come to the end of our interview, Madame Godfroy. Maybe you want to add something?

I invite farmers to open their farms to the general public, to show their profession and the practices they adopt on a daily basis. I also invite consumers to remain open and in conversation with those who fill their plates. We all have a lot to gain from talking to each other!

We thank you for your time and for sharing your expertise with our readers. France is a historically agricultural country and each French person has a special link with agriculture and remains deeply attached to the peasant world.

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