Landscape and biodiversity as new resources for agro-ecology? Insights from farmers&amp;#8217; perspectives

Nicolas Salliou,Cecile Barnaud

doi:10.5751/es-09249-220216

Abstract

Pesticide reduction is a key current challenge. Scientific findings in landscape ecology suggest that complex landscapes favor insect pest biological control by conservation of natural enemy habitats. A potential agro-ecological innovation is to conserve or engineer such complex landscapes to reduce pesticide use. However, whereas the relevant resources are often well known in most natural resource management situations, potential resources involved in this innovation (natural enemies and the landscape) are not necessarily considered as resources in the eyes of their potential users. From the perspective that resources are socially constructed, our objective was to investigate whether and how these resources are considered by their potential users. To do so, we conducted research in an area specializing in tree-fruit (apple) production in southwestern France. This site was selected for its high pest incidence and high use of insecticides on orchards and, consequently, high stakes involved for any alternative. We conducted 30 comprehensive interviews with stakeholders (farmers and crop advisors) about their pest control strategies to explore their representation of their landscape and natural enemies. Our results show that natural enemies are considered by local stakeholders as public good resources, especially in the context of interventions by public institutions for their conservation, acclimation, and management. Farmers sometimes consider natural enemies as private goods when they can isolate the crop, enclosing it with nets or some other type of boundary. We also show that the landscape was not considered as a resource for biological pest control by conservation, but rather as a source of pests. We advocate for more research on the effects of landscapes on natural enemies, including participatory research based on dialogue among farmers, crop advisors, and scientists.

Highlights

Farming practices are affecting biodiversity worldwide (McLaughlin and Mineau 1995)
Scientific findings in landscape ecology suggest that complex landscapes favor insect pest biological control by conservation of natural enemy habitats
Whereas the relevant resources are often well known in most natural resource management situations, potential resources involved in this innovation are not necessarily considered as resources in the eyes of their potential users

Summary

Introduction

Farming practices are affecting biodiversity worldwide (McLaughlin and Mineau 1995). In particular, the use of chemicals as biocides has been under scrutiny because of its negative effects on biodiversity as well as on human health. In France, a national plan aims at a reduction in 50% pesticide use by 2025 (Potier 2014). In this context, there is growing interest in research in agroecology and biodiversity-based agriculture that favors and makes use of biodiversity (Duru et al 2015). Among the different existing approaches, biological control by conservation aims at protecting the natural habitats of natural enemy populations (Simon et al 2010). Findings in landscape ecology suggest that complex landscapes can enhance biological control by conservation on farms through their positive effects on the natural ememies of insect pests (Bianchi et al 2006, Rusch et al 2010, Chaplin-Kramer et al 2011). Complex landscapes are understood as agricultural patchy landscapes with high proportions of seminatural and wooded habitats (Bianchi et al 2006)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion