Use of indicators to assess the environmental impact of agriculture - Application to organic agriculture in Aquitaine

Abstract

Over the last decade, protection of the environment has developed into a major issue in public debate in France. French specifications regarding organic farming are designed to guarantee a production process which respects the environment. Using a method based on indicators and agri-environmental diagnosis, we assessed the potential environmental impact of organic and conventional farming methods on the main farming systems present in the French region of Aquitaine. The study demonstrates that organic farming has a highly positive overall impact on all components of the environment. It also highlights the risk situations associated, principally concerning conventional techniques, but also those inherent in organic farming.