Livestock Farm Networks, a system at the center of French farming development

Abstract

The Livestock Farm Networks system is dedicated to the development of her­bivore farming. As the Networks result from the history of French agricultural development, they are found throughout France and are organized at local level. The originality of the system lies in the partnerships between farmers, cham­bers of agriculture and the French Livestock Institute, and in that it uses a global approach to take into account the diversity of livestock farming regions and the study of livestock farming systems. The aim is not to be exhaustive, but to be representative of herbivore farming systems based on the selection of the studied systems. The aim is also to assess the evolution of these systems and to dissemi­nate the benchmarks obtained from the monitoring of 1900 farms by 210 cham­ber-of-agriculture agents, guided by 35 project leaders from the French Livestock Institute, and financed and supported by public authorities and the professional agriculture bodies. The regional and national enhancement of the Networks are aimed at different audiences: farmers, advisers, teachers (for advice or training), individuals or collectives, and local and national decision makers to improve their understanding of livestock farming systems and to measure the impact of new farming policies and lead their implementation. We also show the capac­ity of the Networks to mobilize themselves on emerging themes. Sustainability, competitiveness, working conditions or even environmental issues have been covered by the study fields of the system, well before sustainable development became a central theme. The Networks as a partnership system are sometimes complex to manage and may appear costly, but the strong and well-recognized partnership has made them a valuable resource and ensures their recognition and legitimacy. The variety of farming productions and the heterogeneous nature of the farming systems are good promoters of innovations and enable French agriculture to adapt to new challenges. The Networks not only enable the obser­vation of these evolutions, but they also act as their catalyst and guide, and help disseminate them.