Magali Aubert

Short food supply chains and the issue of sustainability: a case study of French fruit producers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the manifestations and interactions at work between the ecological, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable development and the development of short food supply chains (SFSCs) in French fruit production. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is based on the theoretical framework associated with SFSCs and each pillar of sustainability. The authors use an original database of 176 surveys of peach and apricot producers from the major French production regions. Three composite indicators, one for each traditional pillar of sustainability, are calculated to evaluate a degree of sustainability at farm level. A simultaneous equations model is estimated on the basis of the calculated indicators. Findings The results show that in the choice of a supply chain design in the agricultural sector, the search for economic sustainability is opposed to a rationale of environmental and social sustainability, the latter appearing to be independent of one another. Originality/value This paper complements the previous studies on the issue of sustainability in agriculture and more specifically the relationship between the adoption of SFSCs and the pillars of sustainable development. The model reveals significant interdependencies, thus emphasizing an issue in reconciling economic imperatives with social or environmental requirements.

French labour-force participation in organic farming

Many farms are converting or plan to convert their production towards environmentally-friendly practices. This article analyses the essential contribution of labour force - holder, family and employees - on the adoption of organic farming. We use the 2010 exhaustive census of French farms for its accuracy. To comprehend to what extent labour force influences the decision to adopt the organic farming certification, a logit model is implemented. The results emphasize that organic farming translates into different labour patterns which highlight the participants’ involvement and their degree of qualification and experience. Their qualifications rather than the number of stakeholder groups appear essential in the development of organic farms.

Between the approved and the actual dose. A diagnosis of pesticide overdosing in French vineyards

In this article, we explore the factors leading winegrowers to apply pesticide doses exceeding the official recommendations. Our approach is founded on an original methodology that determines practices of overdosing by matching four databases in 2006: the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN); the cropping practices survey (PK) in the winegrowing sector; the e-phy database operated by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food, which identifies authorised doses per input; and climatic data measured by the Meteo France meteorological office. Our sample, which contains 105 vineyards throughout France, reveals that 50% of these winegrowers never overdose, while 24% systematically apply excessive doses of pesticides. The latter group benefits from a comfortable financial situation, but suffers from an unfavourable climate.