How can collective organization and the search for autonomy lead to an agroecological transition? The example of farm machinery cooperatives in France

Mainly motivated by their search for autonomy (self-sufficiency an self-reliance), farmers interacting in farm machinery cooperatives (CUMA) in France develop new patterns of cooperation beyond the joint use of equipment and human resources. This work, supported by the interdisciplinary project CAPACCITA, aims at understanding to what extent farmers’ quest for autonomy in the CUMA network can be a key factor in the development of agro-ecological practices and production systems. The research is based on the agronomic and sociological study of 3 CUMA groups in France. It combines together three methodological approaches: (i) a comprehensive analysis of the technical changes operated by the farmers, their rationale and the consequences of such changes on the global farm functioning (ii) a characterization of the level of agroecologization of practices and trajectories based on the Efficiency-Substitution-Redesign approach (iii) an impact assessment of these changes on sustainability and autonomy, derived from the IDEA method. Results showed a great diversity of pathways of practices change, between groups and within each group. We showed a co-evolution of the ecologization of agricultural practices between different cultivation techniques. This dynamic approach made it possible to identify the key stages and levers of the agro-ecological transition, at the individual and collectives levels. The impact assessment revealed that farmers have gained more control in decision-making, more use of internal and territorial resources, but very few farmers have gained more economic autonomy. Thus, identifying levers and patterns of practices design to gain autonomy in CUMA groups brings very useful knowledge to support agroecological transition at territorial scale.