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ISARA Tutor: Pr. Jacques Godet NMBU Tutor: Pr. Tor Arvid Breland External Tutor: Corentin Moriceau, la Berthe farm

Valentin BarberouxMsC Agroecology 2013-2015Date: 15/10/2015

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF SMALL SCALE ORGANIC FARMING IN MID-RANGE ALPINE CONTEXT

A Case Study implemented at la Berthe Farm, Savoie, France

+Contents

Introduction Objective Research Questions Material and Methods Results Discussion Conclusion

+IntroductionOrganic AND intensive small-scale farming Agroecology: science, practice and movement

promoting sustainable agriculture through a sustainable rural development (Wezel & al.)

Thesis based on agroecological way of vegetable farming

2 models of intensive organic vegetable farming Jean-Martin Fortier: Canadian vegetable grower Bec Hellouin farm: Study about productivity50000euros/1000m2

+Repartition of the organic farming into the different farming sectors of the Rhone-Alp Region (Agreste, 2010)

19

16

1612

9

5

5

4

4

33 2 2

0.3

Multicrops and cattle Vineyard

Fruit Trees Cereals

Milking cows Aviculture

Goats Vegetables

Diverse herbivores Meat cows

Horticulture Sheep

Apiculture Pigs

+Objective

Analysis of yield data for testing economic performance of small-scale organic vegetable farming under mountainous conditions

+Research Question

What is the strategic farm management followed by the farm?

Can small-scale organic farmers make a living out of their production according to the methods studied?

What benefit can they produce out of 1200m2 at a second year of gardening?

How can this benefit be increased?

+Material and Methods

Material The intentional community of la Berthe Terraces and compost Methodology Collection of data Comparison with other vegetable growers

+Case Study as MaterialLa Berthe Intentional Community Intentional community of 10

people since 2012 3 farming activities Partnership with Terre de

liens

+Location of la Berthe farm

• 500m of altitude• Northern part of Chartreuse mountain range

+ Farming contextEnvironmental conditions of la Berthe farm

Positive points Negative points

Good soil quality

Loam-silt soil--> can dry easily, getting compact and hard to plow (not a problem because of compost cultivation)

Loam-silt soil--> rich and good drainage

Silt dominancy--> higher risk of crusting phenomenon

Deep and fresh soil (especially in the lowest pastures)

Slope makes mechanization complicated

Balanced meadows (with melliferous and forage species)

Mountainous area with shorter season for vegetables

Concentration of plots around the farm buildings Acid and Ca-poor soilVegetable growing area well protected from wind and with good sun orientationMany isolated trees and high bushes

Rich environment but farming management has to be well designed

+Compost and terracesCompost Terraces

• Pasture never plowed• High quantity of compost available

• Garden in slope

+Planning of the year 2015February

Start of the season

Re-covering of the

greenhouses

MarchFirst raised bed

installationFirst seeding

AprilFirst seeding

outside

MayFirst market

JuneBeginning of high marketing seasonAll raised beds set

up

July

AugustNew gardens

set up starting

SeptemberOctober & November

End of season

Season of 9 months and 3 months holidays

Resu

lts

+Methodology

Qualitative analysis Assessment of the vegetable farming strategy

Quantitative analysis Collection of data on field

Harvest yield noted crop by crop at every harvest

Comparison with other vegetable growers ADABIO Jean-Martin Fortier

+Results

Economic performance

Crop density Rotation speed Low charges

Qualitative assessment of the vegetable farming strategy

Data Analysis

Harvest results Comparison with Jean-

Martin Fortier Comparison with ADABIO

Quantitative assessment of la Berthe production

+Economic performance

High crop density

High rotation speed

High profitabiit

y

Low charges

Strategy based on the Canadian vegetable grower Jean-Martin Fortier

Resu

lts

+Economic performanceCrop densityComparison of crop density between la Berthe farm and ADABIOComparison of crop spacing (cm)Crop La Berthe ADABIOOnion 15X17 25X16Leak 15X15 15X70Garlic 15X15 15X30Carrot 4X8 3X20Turnip 10X12 8X25Beet root 15X12 8X25Eggplant 45X30 100X50Pepper  23X30 50X70Tomato 23X80 50X70

Crop density is always higher at la Berthe compared to ADABIO

Resu

lts

+Economic performanceRotation speed Re

sults

- Rotation planning well thought- Optimization of surface useFrom 0 to 2 rotations per year on each raised bed

+Economic performanceLow charges

Annual charges 2015 (euros) for 1200m2 cultivatedWater 1000

Material 1000Seeds and plants 2300

Car 1000Manure 300

Total 5600

Essentially due to manual work and no tractorNo salaries taken into account in the charges

Resu

lts

+Data AnalysisCrops Yield

La BertheYield Fortier

Unit Ratio B/F

Beet roots 80 140 bunch 0.6Tomatoes 31 62 kg 0.5Eggplants 14 26 kg 0.5Melons 3 1 fruit/plant 3Cucumbers 50 102 unit/week 0.5Chards 79 133 unit/week 0.6Peppers 57 107 unit/week 0.5Turnips 45 178 bunch 0.3Onions 120 160 kg 0.8Spinaches 24 31 kg 0.8Radishes 91 267 bunch 0.3Zucchinis 44 89 kg 0.5

La Berthe yield is 50% of Fortier’s on average

+Comparison of climate between la Berthe and J.-M. Fortier’s farmComparison climate La Berthe Fortier

LocationSaint-Franc, Savoie,

FranceSaint-Armand, Québec,

CanadaLatitude 45°29'N 45°02'N

Annual Precipitation 1221mm 929mmAverage temperature

(°C) 6.5 6.7Annual sun hours 1870 1904

pH (soil) 5.54 6.5Soil Silt and sand  

Altitude 550m  sea level

Liming and Fertilization

Gross carbonate in 2014, Guanor (N6-P3-

K1) in 2015, 3kg/raised bed before first

rotation, 4kg/raised bed before second

rotation

Chicken manure (N4-P4-K2) (5 to 7

liters/raised bed) and marine compost

Resu

lts

+DiscussionYield comparison

Yield of la Berthe around 50% of Fortier’s Varieties compared not always similar 15 years experience Ideal pH Better fertilization Straight cultivation on soil

Comparison with ADABIO not significant Methods used too different

Disc

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n

+Economic results for the two first years of the garden

  2014 2015 TotalInvestment and charges 12000 13000 25000Turnover 10000 25000 35000Profit -2000 12000 10000

25000 euros necessary for two people for starting a business on 2 years 10000 of profit at 2nd year

Disc

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+Economic results including prevision for 2016

Economic data- Investment and income (euros) Year 2014 2015 2016 TotalSurface cultivated (m2) 1200 1200 1500Investment and Charges (euros) 12000 13000 14600

39600

Turnover (euros) 10000 25000 40000 75000Profit (euros) -2000 12000 25400

35400

Disc

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+SWOT Analysis of the vegetable farming at la Berthe farm Di

scus

sion

Collective can also be a threat for the vegetable business if accounting is not clear

+Research Question

What is the strategic farm management followed by the farm?

The economic performance model based on three pillars Can small-scale organic farmers make a living out of

their production according to the methods studied? Not at the second year, but with some investment, could be profitable at 4th year Which turnover can they produce out of 1200m2 at a

second year of gardening? 25000 euros at 2nd year, 33000 euros at 3rd year How can this benefit be increased?

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+Suggestions of improvements

For higher vegetable yields Drainage of gardens Earlier start of production (February) Irrigation set up Adapted varieties Clear task repartition and schedule

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+Conclusion for current state of the vegetable entrepreneurship of la Berthe Yields are half of Fortier’s but good economic result for

2nd year Productive, big potential of growth with some

improvements Improve agroecological landscape (corridors, fruit

trees) Vegetable future plan to clarify with rest of collective Results to follow in the future for more precise analyze

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Thank you for your attention

+Prevision for year 2016 in detail

Budget investment 2016 Budget annual charges 2016wood 800 water 1000

compost 1500diverse material 1000

iron for concrete 500

seeds and plants 3000

car 1000    irrigation 1000 manure 300

greenhouse 3000    greenhouse

plastics 1500    Total 8300   6300

Disc

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