** Farmers to the test of time: a time of change or renewal? **
As part of the 61st edition of the International Agricultural Show, which takes place this year in Paris, an observation is essential: if the climate is more serene than in 2024, the challenges faced by farmers are far from resolved. The testimonies collected reveal a deep distress, a general shortness of breath, and a feeling of abandonment which borders on anger. However, beyond the daily difficulties that farmers must overcome, a wider questioning is emerging on the very viability of the French agricultural model.
### An administrative and climatic storm
The problems mentioned by farmers are not limited to cyclical events such as the spread of diseases or increases in loads. They also reflect the cumulative effects of complex legislation and the impact of climate change on their farms. For example, the bureaucracy surrounding aid of the common agricultural policy (CAP) is often perceived as a real obstacle. From the need to comply with increasingly demanding standards of compliance with the management of unexpected controls, the operators are trapped in an interlacing of paperwork which monopolizes precious time.
In parallel, the consequences of climate change are already palpable. According to a report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), extreme temperature variations could cause a decrease of 10 to 18 % of agricultural yields by 2050, especially for sensitive crops such as wheat or corn. This raises a crucial question: is the resilience of French agriculture sufficiently robust to face these issues?
### Economy and sustainability: two sides of the same room
The economic assessment of French farms reveals that low profitability is an omnipresent problem. With a fall in prices of agricultural products, constantly increasing costs and compressed margins, many operators are flirting with precariousness. An INSEE report of 2023 shows that 31 % of farms will experience financial difficulties in the next three years if the current trends continue. Each testimony of farmers such as Jean-Luc Pruvot underlines this alarming reality, exacerbated by the need to respect an increasing regulatory size.
In this context, how to promote a sustainable agricultural model while guaranteeing the economic viability of farms? The challenge is immense: it is not only a question of supporting farmers by occasional aid, but of rethinking the entire French agricultural sector. The question of sustainability must impose itself as a full -fledged strategic and economic priority.
### An agricultural model to reinvent
The transformation of the agricultural sector could go through the integration of digital technologies, such as precision agriculture. This approach uses data collected by sensors, drones and satellites to optimize culture management and breeding. A study by the World Economic Forum indicates that such an approach could increase agricultural yields from up to 70 % in certain situations. Far from being a simple option, the adoption of such technologies can become a necessity in the face of ecological and economic issues.
On the other hand, support for agroecology also represents a promising path. By promoting environmentally friendly practices, it is possible to restore soil, protect biodiversity and guarantee a just income for farmers. Initiatives like those of the groups of the Paysanne Confederation offer inspiring agricultural success models in line with the principles of sustainability.
### A call for collective mobilization
It is imperative that political, economic and consumers collaborate to rethink our relationship to agriculture. Awareness of the importance of healthy diet, the valuation of short circuits, and support for local farms must become a collective movement, and not a simple individual option. Many studies suggest that a gradual increase in the consumption of local agriculture products can have positive effects not only on public health, but also on the economic vitality of farms.
Basically, while farmers express their anger and distress, it becomes obvious that they are not only the victims of a system, but also the actors of a necessary change. They are at the crossroads between distrust and hope, between a bygone past and an uncertain future. In this context, the voice of farmers should not get lost in the chaotic tumult of the salon pavilions, but resonate as a clear call for transformation.
The question we must answer together is this: what type of agriculture do we really want? Agriculture supported by collective solidarity, adapted to the challenges of the 21st century, not only as a simple economic sector, but rather as a fundamental pillar of our society. It is by questioning our consumption choices, supporting sustainable innovation and giving meaning to our diet that we can, together, redefine the agricultural landscape of tomorrow.