Farmers’ collectives as support for the renewal of agricultural activity. Elements resulting from the analysis of the network of a peasant collective

Résumés

Farmers’ collectives are seen as levers for agricultural transitions. Among the diversity of existing collectives, new forms of collectives oriented towards alternative and agro-ecological agriculture are emerging and aim to facilitate and sustain agricultural installation. This article proposes to study the role of the socio-economic links in place in a peasant collective in Vaucluse. By mobilizing the analysis of social networks, and via the study of the diversity of resources exchanged as well as cooperation between members, the aim here is to understand the role played by the group and by social relations in agricultural activities. . This work highlights the decisive role of the collective for the empowerment and local integration of farmers.

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Plan

The Pays des Sorgues peasant collective and its territory of establishment

Methodology

1. Ethnographic, technical and sociometric interview as a method of data collection

2. Process and analyze relational data

Results: the socio-economic interactions of the members of the PPS collective

1. Description of the socio-economic networks of the members interviewed within the group

2. Diversity of resources exchanged and cooperation

3. Multiple affiliations of members and interactions with agricultural advisory actors

Discussion: the peasant collective as a support for agricultural activities?

1. The PPS collective, generator of social capital for its members

2. The PPS collective as a factor in the facilitation and sustainability of agricultural facilities

3. The PPS collective, a means of improving the autonomy of production systems?

4. The PPS collective, a resource for social and professional integration

Conclusion

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In the 1980s, the first works mobilizing the analysis of social networks to apply it to groups of farmers showed the importance of social configurations and dialogue networks in the collective acquisition of skills (Darré et al., 1989; Darré 1984). Like these networks in which changes in practices and the redefinition of agricultural standards were played out, locally anchored farmers’ collectives could today be a lever for transition processes – understood as a gradual construction of new practices. socio-productive (Piraux et al., 2010). They can constitute places for the emergence of innovation niches capable of shaping socio-technical regimes (Geels, 2002). Indeed, it has been shown that the processes of changing practices are, among other things, the product of social interactions (Darré, 1984). Collectives, because they generate a space for discussion and result in…

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To quote this article

Paper reference

Carla ScorsinoEtienne Polge and Marta Weak, “Farmers’ collectives as support for the renewal of agricultural activity. Elements resulting from the analysis of the network of a peasant collective », rural economy382 | 2022, 79-94.

Electronic reference

Carla ScorsinoEtienne Polge and Marta Weak, “Farmers’ collectives as support for the renewal of agricultural activity. Elements resulting from the analysis of the network of a peasant collective », rural economy [En ligne], 382 | October-December 2022, posted on January 01, 2025consulted the February 03, 2023. URL : DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/economierurale.10669

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Auteurs

Carla Scorsino

UMR 1114 EMMAH INRAE/AU, Agroparc site, Avignon

Etienne Polge

Clermont Auvergne University, AgroParisTech, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Territories, Clermont-Ferrand

Articles by the same author

Marta Weak

UMR 1114 EMMAH INRAE/AU, Agroparc site, Avignon

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