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ISARA Tutor: Pr. Jacques Godet NMBU Tutor: Pr. Tor Arvid Breland External Tutor: Corentin Moriceau, la Berthe farm
Valentin BarberouxMsC Agroecology 2013-2015Date: 15/10/2015
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF SMALL SCALE ORGANIC FARMING IN MID-RANGE ALPINE CONTEXT
A Case Study implemented at la Berthe Farm, Savoie, France
+Contents
Introduction Objective Research Questions Material and Methods Results Discussion Conclusion
+IntroductionOrganic AND intensive small-scale farming Agroecology: science, practice and movement
promoting sustainable agriculture through a sustainable rural development (Wezel & al.)
Thesis based on agroecological way of vegetable farming
2 models of intensive organic vegetable farming Jean-Martin Fortier: Canadian vegetable grower Bec Hellouin farm: Study about productivity50000euros/1000m2
+Repartition of the organic farming into the different farming sectors of the Rhone-Alp Region (Agreste, 2010)
19
16
1612
9
5
5
4
4
33 2 2
0.3
Multicrops and cattle Vineyard
Fruit Trees Cereals
Milking cows Aviculture
Goats Vegetables
Diverse herbivores Meat cows
Horticulture Sheep
Apiculture Pigs
+Objective
Analysis of yield data for testing economic performance of small-scale organic vegetable farming under mountainous conditions
+Research Question
What is the strategic farm management followed by the farm?
Can small-scale organic farmers make a living out of their production according to the methods studied?
What benefit can they produce out of 1200m2 at a second year of gardening?
How can this benefit be increased?
+Material and Methods
Material The intentional community of la Berthe Terraces and compost Methodology Collection of data Comparison with other vegetable growers
+Case Study as MaterialLa Berthe Intentional Community Intentional community of 10
people since 2012 3 farming activities Partnership with Terre de
liens
+Location of la Berthe farm
• 500m of altitude• Northern part of Chartreuse mountain range
+ Farming contextEnvironmental conditions of la Berthe farm
Positive points Negative points
Good soil quality
Loam-silt soil--> can dry easily, getting compact and hard to plow (not a problem because of compost cultivation)
Loam-silt soil--> rich and good drainage
Silt dominancy--> higher risk of crusting phenomenon
Deep and fresh soil (especially in the lowest pastures)
Slope makes mechanization complicated
Balanced meadows (with melliferous and forage species)
Mountainous area with shorter season for vegetables
Concentration of plots around the farm buildings Acid and Ca-poor soilVegetable growing area well protected from wind and with good sun orientationMany isolated trees and high bushes
Rich environment but farming management has to be well designed
+Compost and terracesCompost Terraces
• Pasture never plowed• High quantity of compost available
• Garden in slope
+Planning of the year 2015February
Start of the season
Re-covering of the
greenhouses
MarchFirst raised bed
installationFirst seeding
AprilFirst seeding
outside
MayFirst market
JuneBeginning of high marketing seasonAll raised beds set
up
July
AugustNew gardens
set up starting
SeptemberOctober & November
End of season
Season of 9 months and 3 months holidays
Resu
lts
+Methodology
Qualitative analysis Assessment of the vegetable farming strategy
Quantitative analysis Collection of data on field
Harvest yield noted crop by crop at every harvest
Comparison with other vegetable growers ADABIO Jean-Martin Fortier
+Results
Economic performance
Crop density Rotation speed Low charges
Qualitative assessment of the vegetable farming strategy
Data Analysis
Harvest results Comparison with Jean-
Martin Fortier Comparison with ADABIO
Quantitative assessment of la Berthe production
+Economic performance
High crop density
High rotation speed
High profitabiit
y
Low charges
Strategy based on the Canadian vegetable grower Jean-Martin Fortier
Resu
lts
+Economic performanceCrop densityComparison of crop density between la Berthe farm and ADABIOComparison of crop spacing (cm)Crop La Berthe ADABIOOnion 15X17 25X16Leak 15X15 15X70Garlic 15X15 15X30Carrot 4X8 3X20Turnip 10X12 8X25Beet root 15X12 8X25Eggplant 45X30 100X50Pepper 23X30 50X70Tomato 23X80 50X70
Crop density is always higher at la Berthe compared to ADABIO
Resu
lts
+Economic performanceRotation speed Re
sults
- Rotation planning well thought- Optimization of surface useFrom 0 to 2 rotations per year on each raised bed
+Economic performanceLow charges
Annual charges 2015 (euros) for 1200m2 cultivatedWater 1000
Material 1000Seeds and plants 2300
Car 1000Manure 300
Total 5600
Essentially due to manual work and no tractorNo salaries taken into account in the charges
Resu
lts
+Data AnalysisCrops Yield
La BertheYield Fortier
Unit Ratio B/F
Beet roots 80 140 bunch 0.6Tomatoes 31 62 kg 0.5Eggplants 14 26 kg 0.5Melons 3 1 fruit/plant 3Cucumbers 50 102 unit/week 0.5Chards 79 133 unit/week 0.6Peppers 57 107 unit/week 0.5Turnips 45 178 bunch 0.3Onions 120 160 kg 0.8Spinaches 24 31 kg 0.8Radishes 91 267 bunch 0.3Zucchinis 44 89 kg 0.5
La Berthe yield is 50% of Fortier’s on average
+Comparison of climate between la Berthe and J.-M. Fortier’s farmComparison climate La Berthe Fortier
LocationSaint-Franc, Savoie,
FranceSaint-Armand, Québec,
CanadaLatitude 45°29'N 45°02'N
Annual Precipitation 1221mm 929mmAverage temperature
(°C) 6.5 6.7Annual sun hours 1870 1904
pH (soil) 5.54 6.5Soil Silt and sand
Altitude 550m sea level
Liming and Fertilization
Gross carbonate in 2014, Guanor (N6-P3-
K1) in 2015, 3kg/raised bed before first
rotation, 4kg/raised bed before second
rotation
Chicken manure (N4-P4-K2) (5 to 7
liters/raised bed) and marine compost
Resu
lts
+DiscussionYield comparison
Yield of la Berthe around 50% of Fortier’s Varieties compared not always similar 15 years experience Ideal pH Better fertilization Straight cultivation on soil
Comparison with ADABIO not significant Methods used too different
Disc
ussio
n
+Economic results for the two first years of the garden
2014 2015 TotalInvestment and charges 12000 13000 25000Turnover 10000 25000 35000Profit -2000 12000 10000
25000 euros necessary for two people for starting a business on 2 years 10000 of profit at 2nd year
Disc
ussio
n
+Economic results including prevision for 2016
Economic data- Investment and income (euros) Year 2014 2015 2016 TotalSurface cultivated (m2) 1200 1200 1500Investment and Charges (euros) 12000 13000 14600
39600
Turnover (euros) 10000 25000 40000 75000Profit (euros) -2000 12000 25400
35400
Disc
ussio
n
+SWOT Analysis of the vegetable farming at la Berthe farm Di
scus
sion
Collective can also be a threat for the vegetable business if accounting is not clear
+Research Question
What is the strategic farm management followed by the farm?
The economic performance model based on three pillars Can small-scale organic farmers make a living out of
their production according to the methods studied? Not at the second year, but with some investment, could be profitable at 4th year Which turnover can they produce out of 1200m2 at a
second year of gardening? 25000 euros at 2nd year, 33000 euros at 3rd year How can this benefit be increased?
Conc
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n
+Suggestions of improvements
For higher vegetable yields Drainage of gardens Earlier start of production (February) Irrigation set up Adapted varieties Clear task repartition and schedule
Conc
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n
+Conclusion for current state of the vegetable entrepreneurship of la Berthe Yields are half of Fortier’s but good economic result for
2nd year Productive, big potential of growth with some
improvements Improve agroecological landscape (corridors, fruit
trees) Vegetable future plan to clarify with rest of collective Results to follow in the future for more precise analyze
Conc
lusio
n
Thank you for your attention
+Prevision for year 2016 in detail
Budget investment 2016 Budget annual charges 2016wood 800 water 1000
compost 1500diverse material 1000
iron for concrete 500
seeds and plants 3000
car 1000 irrigation 1000 manure 300
greenhouse 3000 greenhouse
plastics 1500 Total 8300 6300
Disc
ussio
n