Conservation Agriculture (CA) is actively promoted as an alternative farming system. CA is defined by three pillars: (i) minimising mechanical soil disturbance, (ii) maximising soil cover, and (iii) diversifying crop species. The vagueness of the terms used to define CA, coupled with the local and individual constraints of farmers, influence the translation of the CA pillars into practice. Classifying the diversity of CA practices helps to assess impacts, guide policy decisions and improve communication between stakeholders. We propose a new classification method grounded on the intersection of an archetype analysis and a hierarchical clustering analysis. We used this method to study the CA practices of 48 farmers in Wallonia, Belgium. Through cross-referencing the archetype and hierarchical clustering analysis, we identified five CA models, differentiated into three archetypal and two intermediate models. While the archetypal models represent farmers with a particularly original combination of pillar practices, the intermediate models represent farmers with practices that straddle the archetypal models. No model maximises all three pillars simultaneously. Archetypal model practices are influenced by: (i) the proportion of soil preparation-intensive crops and (ii) temporary grasslands in the rotation, as well as (iii) the organic certification. Studying the evolution of these intermediate models will help to determine whether they are stable over time or whether they will evolve into other models. This classification method could be replicated in other geographical contexts and farming systems. Our results underline the importance of understanding the diversity of CA practices for the improvement of stakeholder collaboration and impact assessment.
Baret, Philippe
[UCL]
