To re-knot the link between town and countryside in the Alps (Renouer le lien ville/campagne dans les Alpes)

Best Practice

Topics

• Governance capacity
• New forms of decision-making, Policies and instruments

Short description

Creating local contracts between consumers and farmers in suburban areas and in sub-mountainous areas. These contracts (Amap - association pour le maintien d'une agriculture paysanne – association for the maintaining of peasant farming) are based on a fair and united trade of fresh products (market gardening). An advanced payment is provided by the consumers in order to ensure farmers’ income. The latter then guarantees a regular supply of fresh food produced under a collectively defined protocol.

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Project executive

Alliance Peasants Ecologists Consumers of Isère. Union of associations aimed at defending a sustainable, economically viable and environmentally sound agriculture.. Responsible Person: Gehin Chantal Alliance Isère mnei, 5 place Bir Hakeim, 38000, Grenoble, France gehin.chantal@wanadoo.fr

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Participants

Stakeholders involved in the promotion of a social and fair economy from the conurban region of Grenoble. Regional Council Rhône-Alpes. Alliance Peasants Ecologists Consumers Rhône-Alpes. Neighbourhood associations of Grenoble. Producers’ Association for the development of a organic farming (departements of Ain, Isère, Savoie, Haute-Savoie).

Objectives

- To renew the link between town and countryside in the Alps by reconnecting farmers and consumers through Amap contracts. Creating a strong social link between producers and citizens-consumers. Reducing energetic and environmental costs of agriculture through short supply-chains. Establishing a viable alternative way of economy for producers providing income, jobs and social links. First developing the “Amap” for vegetables and then finding solutions for cattle farmers in the surroundings mountains (Chartreuse, Oisans, Belledonne).

Activities

- Contact between local producers and consumers (mainly city dwellers). Again the latter discover the links between quality food and the sustainable management of rural areas (organic farming). Creating a social and economic bond between producers and consumers: baskets are delivered to town each week to a specific and collectively defined place; farm visits are organised as well as conferences and discussions.

Process

No specific methods were used

Results

- Maintaining local farms and sustaining the development of local organic farming. To make consumers sensitive to farming by way of food. To effectively contribute to sustainable farming in mountainous areas.

Evaluation

No evaluation up to know

Difficulties

- To motivate producers: the Amap process requires transparency for consumers; producers need assistance during the project (contacts, permanent technical support). Consumers interested in the process also need to be accompanied. Amap: groups have to be constituted. The initial motivations have to be well stimulated but also respected. The assessment and the monitoring of the Amap contracts is needed.

Budget

40 000euros (Euro)

Financial backer

General Council of Isère. Conurbation Community of Grenoble (METRO). FRAPNA Isère (Rhône-Alpes Federation for Nature Protection).

Source of information

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://www.alpesolidaires.org/article.php3?id_article=550

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

Decreasing of greenhouse gas emission thanks to short supply chains (reduction of transports); less chemical fertilisers are applied; the soils are improved thanks to natural compost (carbon input). Decreasing of personal car trips (still remains to be assessed): each week 47 families living down-town receive a basket of vegetables. They do not use their car anymore to drive to the supermarket or shopping mall.

Economic value added

Thanks to 2 Amap (47 basket), 80% of a single producer’s income is guaranteed (2005). The Amap provides a decent salary, without intermediate structures, and without delay in payment. The revenue of 2 Amap is almost equivalent to 15,000€ (13€ per basket during 26 weeks for each family).

Socio-cultural value added

- The weekly meetings in order to deliver the baskets create links between farmers and consumers. The project also promotes exchanges and meetings between generations (from 20 to 60 years old), many young couples with one or several young children are represented in the groups. Bounds between the members of Amap are tied.

Innovative content

This project is based on a fair and responsible economy, without focusing on a mere economic logic. The links between producers and consumers are direct and concrete. The Amap in Grenoble contribute to the creation of a frame for exchanges and discussions on the future of mountainous and submountainous rural areas. The places where baskets are delivered (bars, district houses, etc.) indicate how this process could be implemented that everybody is concerned and not only a small and quite rich elite of local people.

Good governance

- Meetings are regularly organised, each Amap member has the same time for speaking in the discussions. Transparency is required and established towards financial bakers of the project (reports, public debates). Each Amap contract has to be autonomous (subsidiarity). As soon as a group reaches its autonomy, the organisation “Alliance Isère” is only present for eventual technical support. La subsidiarité est mise en oeuvre à travers l'autonomisation de chaque amap ; dès que le groupe atteint son autonomie, l'Alliance Isère se place en retrait et efectue une simple veille technique.

PR impact

Local press and other media (TV Grenoble) are used to promote the project. Conferences and public debates on sustainable farming issues are organised (peasant seeds, sane and balanced food etc.). Almost 200 persons are already involved in the Amap set up in Grenoble (3 Amap are now working and another is under construction). Another project is reached by September 2005. More than 300 persons were present during the 3 conferences and debates organised since March 2005.

Multiplier effect / networking

Through the own personnel networks of the Amaps; some persons really very engaged in the project and exert strong dynamics to the others. A continuous partnership is held with the “fair and social economy network of Grenoble”. Public meetings also provide occasions for affecting more and more people.

Transferability

- The Amaps promote a participative democratic process. It is a small-scale project (built-up area and rural surroundings) set up for citizens. Incomes are provided for local farmers.

Remarks

Also best practice for Question 5 (new forms of decision making)