A Sociotechnical Analysis in Market Gardening Systems (original) (raw)

2021, HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)

AI-generated Abstract

To meet societal expectations and address environmental and health preoccupations, the market gardening sector is confronted with increasing pressure to produce with less chemical inputs while providing fresh, tasty, good-looking, and affordable vegetables. To face these challenges, it is necessary to have a systemic approach of the sector. A sociotechnical analysis was carried out in Provence to identify the factors hindering the development of agroecological practices to reduce phytosanitary use in market gardening systems. This paper focuses on two soil health management practices: crop diversification and organic matter use. Alongside with a literature review, thirty semi-directive interviews were conducted with producers, agronomists, agri-food industrials, and retailers to understand their interactions and gather information about parameters influencing vegetable producers marketing and agricultural practices. Findings from this work point to the lack of interconnection between stakeholders in the food supply chain which goes against the agroecological approach on food systems, the major impact of mass retailers' marketing strategies, as well as the inconsistency between the societal demand to decrease pesticide use and European quality norms. On another note, the slow development of organic matter use results from a poor structuration of the sector in PACA along with a lack of knowledge about its value in the management of soil health. To create meaningful change, such problems require a systemic approach to establish partnerships between vegetable producers and retailing companies and between organic matter producers and potential users through collective initiatives and training.