French plan faces challenges in agricultural adaptation

The French government's "agricultural recovery plan" has been urged to prioritize the reconfiguration of supply chains to build systems less vulnerable to climate and geopolitical risks, according to a think tank. The plan includes over one billion euros allocated for "the emergency" and a second envelope of 500 to 700 million euros for "the recovery" of agriculture in 2027, focusing on adapting livestock buildings and water storage. However, the specifics of the 2027 recovery plan envelope remain unclear, and its implementation depends on the adoption of the budget currently under review by Parliament.

Public support for agricultural investment

A study published by the Institute of Climate Economics (I4CE) and written with researcher Olia Tayeb Cherif shows that between 2022 and 2024, the agricultural and food sectors benefited from about 2 billion euros per year in public support (European, national, or local) for their physical investments outside of land (buildings, equipment, plantings). This period was described as a "period of high support for investment" with the France Relance and France 2030 post-Covid plans, apparently set to close due to budgetary constraints.

Limited progress toward sustainability

Out of these 2 billion euros, about 30% (600 million euros) have been "at least theoretically directed towards a more resilient and sustainable transition" (production of renewable energy, reduction or optimization of energy, water and phytosanitary product and fertilizer consumption), although in practice, these goals have not always been met. Only 10% of these 600 million euros funded "structural transitions": diversification of plant production, support for the reduction or reorganization of livestock herds, development of organic agriculture, relocation of perennial crops to more favorable climatic zones.

Insufficient funding for long-term change

The 2027 recovery plan envelope, although significant, "will not be sufficient to complete the transition of the French agricultural model," according to the authors. They call for "re-examining the entire public support for the agricultural and food sectors." Adaptation to the effects of climate change is necessary, but not sufficient, they argue, and it is also necessary to reduce dependencies on imports of critical inputs, including fossil fuels, fertilizers and soybean cakes. They emphasize the need to commit to an agro-ecological transition trajectory to preserve the stability of the climate, biodiversity, water and soils, which are the very basis of agricultural production.

Need for strategic support and criteria

The funding of "future projects," which aims to adapt production by replacing, for example, vineyards with pistachio trees in the south or structuring supply chains to ensure outlets for these new productions, seems to be a relevant device. However, the authors call on the state to complement this investment aid with "support for accompanying" these projects. To ensure the effectiveness of these projects and zero-interest loans, they should include criteria to ensure their "compatibility (…) with climate projections and water resources in the territory" and "their contribution to the diversification of production" as well as "strategic independence from products critically imported (fossil energy, fertilizers, soybean cakes)."