In the context of the ongoing action research dealing with innovative farming systems design and evaluation, we explore a new mixed-crop livestock farming system which aims are: i) enhancing biodiversity and limiting negative externalities (on water quality and soil fertility) and ii)increasing its self-sufficiency, the extent to which the system is able to satisfy its own needs without requiring considerable external inputs. A systemic (at the farm-scale), multi-year and multidisciplinary approach is thus currently set up on the INRA Saint Laurent-de-la-prée research farm (French Atlantic coast), through a system-experiment. The method consists in a series of improvements which are brought progressively to an already existing system. This latter is permanently redesigned in order to approach the desired objectives, following the environmental management approach. To achieve the objectives, the principles of ecologically intensive agriculture concept are promoted as much as possible. The performances of the system will be evaluated through a list of indicators in relation to the three sustainability pillars (multi-criteria approach): i) environmental (biodiversity, water and soil quality), ii) economic and iii) labour charge indicators.
Contribution of a system experiment in designing a mixed crop-livestock farming system aimed at (I) improving self-sufficiency, and (II) producing biodiversity and benefiting from it