Brebis_Link -Sheep grazing for shared land use in south-west France

This issue brings together publications relating to the French agricultural and rural development programmes (PNDAR). These projects are funded by the Compte d'affectation développement agricole et rural (CASDAR) 2017.

National audience

English. Orchards, vines, winter cover, cereals, wooded pastures, cultivated or abandoned areas owned by farmers or managed by local authorities provide additional fodder resources for ewes. The Brebis_Link project has analysed grazing practices on these areas in south-west France in order to identify the favourable factors, the obstacles and the levers for their implementation, with a view to raising awareness among farmers and their partners of the mutual benefits. If properly managed, grazing these additional areas has a positive impact on the cover crops concerned and provides a variety of feed for the herds. Grazing is organised around "win-win" partnerships between landowners and farmers, the long-term viability of which depends on the ability to strike a balance that suits everyone involved: ensuring sufficient feed for the herd in production, while meeting the agronomic expectations of the landowners, and controlling the amount of working time devoted to it. Furthermore, the lack of farmers in areas specialising in crop production is the main obstacle to the development of these practices in the short term. However, this agro-ecological experiment could be the precursor to a revival of mixed farming, provided that the partnerships are balanced and secure over time.