Ways of reducing pesticides use in Bordeaux vineyards

Abstract

French and European incentives, such as Plan Ecophyto 2018, European directive for a sustainable use of pesticides, reinforce the requirement for vine-growers to engage in more environmentally friendly farming practices. In this respect, this paper presenting the results of a large questionnaire survey conducted in Bordeaux area vineyards and focusing on the behaviour of their vine-growers towards environmental innovations is particularly adequate. Founding that the most important environmental issue in vineyards relates to the use of pesticides, the paper characterizes the main economic and cognitive factors determining vine-growers' environmental innovations. It allows determining possible policies milestones, efficient and feasible, towards a more environmentally friendly vineyard. The paper first outlines the analytical framework, then highlights the main results and, finally, goes through further discussion and policy implications.