For the first year of the project, 10 pilot producers have joined the initiative. These farms enable farmers and production team technicians to develop their skills, experiment with new practices and innovate together.
According to carbon balances carried out in spring 2024, seed production on these pilot farms emits an average of 4.29 tonnes of CO2 equivalent* per hectare per year. In light of this finding, new cropping itineraries have been implemented with the aim of reducing these emissions and promoting carbon storage in the soil without impacting productivity, while guaranteeing profitability for farmers.
*équivalent CO2 : unité créée par le Groupe d’experts intergouvernemental sur l’évolution du climat (GIEC) pour regrouper les différents gaz à effets de serre agricole (CH4, N2O, CO2)
The first review is scheduled for the end of 2024
An exchange meeting was held between the pilot farms and the MAS Seeds technical team to identify the initial avenues of work. The group agreed on the practices to be implemented on the pilot farms from 2024, depending on the profile of each farm.
The group will meet several times a year to discuss progress. Monitoring will be carried out throughout the season, enabling practices to be adjusted according to the results observed. The first comparative results are expected by the end of 2024.
5 major areas of work for the farm network
- Irrigation optimization using decision-support tools
- nitrogen fertilization management: better use of nitrogen in optimized forms
- Adoption of different tillage methods, such as no-till.
- Increasing the percentage of organic matter in soils through the use of organic fertilizers.
- The use of plant cover to protect and enrich soil and capture nitrogen.
4 TO 20 %
is the estimated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on the network of pilot farms in 2024. This figure varies according to the trials implemented and the farm’s profile.
