On the road to agro-ecological transition

Temps de lecture : 4 minutes

A wide variety of landscapes

From the Pic-Saint-Loup to the sea, the Montpellier metropolitan area is home to a multitude of natural spaces. They can be divided into 3 groups:

the great garrigue amphitheater (to the north), crossed by numerous watercourses, which over time have sculpted small valleys of garrigue and woodland,
the urban and agricultural plain (center), an agricultural mosaic surrounding urban areas, irrigated by rivers all the way to the sea,
the coastal sector (south), made up of ponds, canals and dikes.

These natural areas represent an important issue for all of us. Whether they have an agricultural, environmental, aesthetic or development function, it is necessary to preserve and enhance them sustainably.

Agricultural environments: still a strong identity

A total of 12,770 hectares of farmland in the metropolis, of which 35% is dedicated to vines, 31% for meadows and rangelands (fenced or unfenced grazed areas) and 28% devoted to annual crops.

They are concentrated in 3 sectors: the West Plain (on the Fabrègues side) Cadoule and Bérange (green lung extending from Vendargues à Montaud, Beaulieu and Saint-Brès). The wine industry obviously plays an important economic role.

It's essential to promote this activity and maintain crop diversity. In fact, the Metropole boasts several appellations for wine, olives and olive oil... All products that enable the territory to shine.

Metropole farms:

20% organic
50% AOC/IGP
1/3 work in short circuits
10% have processing and/or diversification activities

Towards large-scale agroecology

Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole has opted for a transition to agroecology. The 2 objectives: to reclaim agricultural land, and to help practices evolve, to be more in tune with society.

These objectives are broken down into several actions:

Mobilization of agricultural land, on the scale of the Metropole and communes, to install farmers who respect certain environmental clauses.
Preservation of agricultural land, through urban planning documents (link to page SCoT and PLUi).
Land control, through experiments encouraging farm diversification and transfer.
A reclamation of agricultural wasteland, through the creation of agricultural land associations.
Integration of agricultural and food projects into development operations.

Some examples:

La ferme de la Condamine: run by a collective, this urban farm was created as part of a call for projects by the Metropole. 4.8 hectares of land are farmed with the aim of producing food and respecting the environment.
Le Maraîcher de Viviers: at Jacou, 4.5 ha of cultivated land have been entrusted by the Métropole to a farmer for ecological agriculture intended for short-circuit consumption.
L'agriparc des Bouisses: 100 ha have been set aside to form the Bouisses agriparc. It features trails, children's play areas, a shared forest garden, etc.
L'agro-écopôle de Mirabeau: As a flourishing farm gradually declined, Le Domaine de Mirabeau (220 hectares in the commune of Fabrègues) was bought back by the commune to preserve its agricultural character. With the help of the Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels du Languedoc-Roussillon, it has developed a project around agroecology, winner in 2017 of the "Sites pilotes pour la reconquête de la biodiversité" call for projects.
L'agriparc du Mas Nouguier: a stone's throw from the Ovalie district, this is 10 hectares farmed organically: vines, beehives, olive trees. Various workshops and educational activities are offered to the public. The area is a popular strolling area for Montpellier residents.

Supporting this transition

Beyond the question of agricultural land, the Metropole is defending a global and ambitious strategy. Key topics include the evolution of water resource management, in the face of the challenge of climate change and changing needs (priority catchment feeding areas, safeguard zones). But also the protection of biodiversity (Natura 2000 sector).

Accompanying

The agroecological transition cannot exist without supporting the development of organic farming and low-impact commodity chains (Fibani Project), economical in inputs and water.

Promote

Farmers are made aware of and trained in agroecological topics and practices: alternatives to weed control, sowing techniques, soil resilience, green waste composting on the plot...

Help

The Metropole is drawing up a new raw water supply scheme. The aim is to provide practical assistance to farmers in coping with climate change and developing rational irrigation techniques.

Metropole is also participating in the rollout of Agripredict, an alert service for extreme events such as climatic disasters.