Evaluation of environmental impacts of farming practices at the field and farm scale to elaborate actions plan: a diagnosis geographic method, based on indicators: DAE-G

Abstract

From 2000 onwards, Picardy Chambers of Agriculture (northern France) initiated an RD project aimed at designing an innovative approach to quality and environmental management on farms, which would enable the continuous improvement of farming practices. This project led to the creation by Agro-Transfert of a geographic, agri-environmental diagnosis method named DAE-G. This was created in collaboration with INRA research council, Picardy Chamber of Agriculture and Institute LaSalle Beauvais, and funded by from Picardy Region and ADEME (environment and energy management agency). Combined with a geographical information system, this diagnosis tool enables field-scale quantification of the environmental risk, based on interaction between environmental sensitivity and farming practices. The farmer has an overview of his farm with distinction of areas the most at environmental risk. The input data required to calculate the indicators are sourced from the farmer and from any existing document about the characteristics of the soil. DAE-G method addresses environmental themes on both the field scale (nitrate water pollution) and the farm scale (biodiversity, waste management, etc.). For each of these themes, a group of experts (researchers and agricultural advisors) determined the indicators needed the aggregation method of input data, calculation methods and reference thresholds for each indicator. After two years of use, DAE-G has been used on about 200 farms. Every farmer has detailed diagnostic report and support to improve his farming practices. Not all environmental diagnoses are performed for the same reason. In fact, DAE-G is used in environmental management with volunteer farmers but is also applied to watersheds’ studies to improve the quality of ground water by reducing diffuse pollution by nitrates and pesticides. It is this case of DAE-G's use that will be studied in this presentation of the catchment area whole field’s results. A zoom on a winter common wheat culture field will be made to present and interpret DAE-G's results on the field scale. The use of a method of environmental diagnosis for several uses at different scales (field, farm, water basin…) raises the question of parameter settings (data input, thresholds…). Indeed, DAE-G is also used on catchment area scale in addition than of field's scale. As for DAE-G, any diagnosis method raises the question of its relevance for a case of use which it was not conceived for.