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Accompanying and promoting the agroecological transition in Geographical Indication of Origin wine-growing areas – Eco-design and communication with consumers AVATEC

2018-2021 Coordinator : GRAPPE research unit BAGAP contact: Guillaume Pain BAGAP research area : Biodiversity conservation in rural and urban areas, Landscape modelling and analysis Keywords :Viticulture, agroecology, environmental impact assessment, Life Cycle Analysis, biodiversity conservation, Geographical Indication of Origin

Research

Context

The wine-growing industry is evolving to reduce its environmental impacts including pesticide use, soil erosion, heavy metal pollution, water pollution, reductions in biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions while also currently facing major challenges associated with climate change. Finally, citizens, whether as consumers of wine or neighbours of wine-growing areas, are exerting pressure on wine-growers to adopt more environmentally friendly practices. 

Geographical Indications of Origin are therefore trying to integrate agroecological approaches at both farm and landscape scales. In order to make this transition, it will be important to define environmental strategies that take the entire production process into account, from field to bottle.

Objectives

This project aims to accompany Val de Loire wine-growers in their transition by providing scientific tools and data to help overcome obstacles associated with environmental integration.

The BAGAP research team is contributing to this overall aim in two ways:

1/ Cartography and spatial analysis for agroecology at landscape level;

2/ Integration of biodiversity conservation indicators into environmental impact analysis of viticultural practices (in particular Life Cycle Analysis)

How ?

Two case studies have been chosen to represent the diversity of wine-growing situations in Val de Loire. The first are the Geographical Indications of Origin Savennières, Chaume et Quart-de-Chaume which correspond to small wine-growing areas, producing high quality wine products. The second is the Rosé Geographical Indication of Origin which extends over a much wider areas and involves many more wine-growers in a variety of landscape contexts and selling generally wine to a diversity of markets.

The plurisdisciplinary team of researchers will use these case study sites to explore the relationships between adaptation of viticultural practices, environmental impacts at different spatial scales, wine quality and consumer perceptions.

The vineyards of these study areas have been analysed using GIS and readily available geographical data in order to define different agroecological landscape units according to vineyard context and local characteristics. This spatial approach has been used to select sites for field and farm observations of viticultural practices and biodiversity. It will also be used to adapt agroecological advice according to landscape context as well as in the development of landscape scale assessment of environmental impacts.

A selection of 24 field sites has been made to more finely study the relationships between wine-growing practices (in particular the adoption of organic agriculture as well as the management of green cover) on bird communities in vineyards. This part of the project aims to develop locally relevant bird indicators of “biodiversity-friendly viticultural practices”

Expected results

The project aims to accompany wine-growers as they work towards more environmentally-friendly practices and the results will be partly determined by the objectives and questions posed by the wine-growers themselves. The project will improve knowledge of the environmental impacts of wine-growing practices and in particular green cover management, the potential influence of production practices on wine quality and typicity and the potential for marketing the added value of these improvements.

BAGAP staff involved

Guillaume Pain & Joséphine Pithon

Partners

USC GRAPPE ESA-INRAE and Chambre régionale d’Agriculture

Also a number of professional wine-growing associations, including the Geographical Indications of Origin are involved in the steering committee of the project:

• Fédération viticole Anjou-Saumur
• Confédération des vignerons du Val de Loire
• Interloire
• Ackerman – Terrena
• INAO

Funding

FEDER 2014/2020 / Région des Pays de la Loire