The co-design of eco-citizen livestock farming for the future: application to mountain dairy farms in the Massif Central region

Context and challenges

Adapting to climate change, restricting the environmental impact of livestock farming, reducing the use of medicinal products and limiting epidemics; the world of livestock farming is currently facing the important challenges of global change while needing to respond to the expectations of professionals and citizens. At the same time, in France, livestock farmers are struggling to achieve sufficient income under decent working conditions; this production sector is in difficulty.
Increasing pressure is being put on livestock farming by society; indeed, it is even being called into question by some citizens. Questions notably concern animal welfare and the health and environmental impact of livestock farming. These demands affect the attractiveness and practices of this profession. Many farmers suffer from this negative image, which is not representative of all types of livestock farming.
To face these challenges, the livestock sector needs to adapt, find new solutions and determine new shared values. Public policies have supported initiatives under which innovations were developed by experts. However, it is often found that such top-down initiatives are infrequently adopted at an individual level, and not well suited to local challenges. Recent research has identified a need to promote organisations that are more decentralised, contextualised and participative. These approaches also raise questions regarding their organisation, because they involve dealings with numerous different and independent actors with diverging interests and complex power relationships.
Citizen science approaches are increasingly being mobilised, as tested by the "Open Innovation" initiative led by INRAE experimental units. One of the challenges is to be able to respond to complex questions that analytical experimentation cannot fully address. This requires the identification of appropriate conditions to generate pertinent data that will respond to questions from research and different stakeholders.

Objectives

The aim of this PhD project is to understand how a combination of innovative design and citizen science approaches may favour the adaptation of mountain dairy farming to global change. The project will focus in particular on health aspects (animal and OneHealth) and welfare, and will directly involve livestock farmers and citizens. This study will be applied to livestock farms in the Massif Central region using two mechanisms: experimentation and a network of initiatives (including livestock farmers, processors and agricultural training colleges).

More precisely, the research questions are as follows:

1. What are the benefits and problems in terms of combining conceptual and participative approaches that involve livestock farmers and citizens, particularly with respect to questions about animal health and welfare?
2. How can a community of research scientists, livestock farmers and citizens be supported in their efforts to design innovative livestock systems adapted to the challenges of global change? How can a shared vision be produced and become operational in the long term?

How can the outputs of the co-design process be put into practice, respond to the challenges identified and be situated at scientific frontiers?

Species concerned

Partnerships

Principal scientific collaborations: Joint Research Unit for the Epidemiology of Animal and Zoonotic Diseases (UMR EPIA) (epidemiology, animal health), Joint Research Unit for Agroecology, Innovations and Territories (UMR AGIR (innovative design), Joint Research Unit for Territories (UMR Territoires) (support, change management), Herbivores Joint Research Unit (UMR Herbivores and Herbipôles (cattle and sheep production systems), MinesParis Tech (innovative design).
Collaborations with different actors: partners in the Coccinelle project (LIT-EHM, Bio 63, Cant’Adear, GEDA Fourrages et Qualités en Montagne, Mont Lait, Chamber of Agriculture 63, Coop de France, BTPL, Idele, PNR Volcans d’Auvergne et Livradois Forez, Pôle Fromager AOP Massif Central, etc.)