Farmer shifts to pistachio cultivation

Amandine Reynard, a farmer near Orange in the Vaucluse, is moving away from vineyards to grow pistachios. She says this change is driven by the difficulties of making highly alcoholic wines, which are becoming less popular, and the effects of climate change on traditional viticulture.

Reviving an old method

The Reynards are working with the France Pistache syndicate to bring back a pistachio-growing method that had not been used in the region for about 200 years. They plan to plant new pistachio trees in 2027 with help from government programs that support agricultural diversification.

Pistachios show resilience

During a recent heatwave, the Reynards’ vineyard remained unaffected, but the pistachio trees demonstrated resilience by growing new shoots without any additional water. This suggests that pistachios might be a more climate-adaptive crop for the region.

Lentils as an alternative in Castelnau-Valence

In Castelnau-Valence, north of Nîmes, Jonathan Altier and Nicolas Dussaud, along with another winemaker, are growing lentils instead of wine. They chose lentils because they use less water and can help improve soil quality, which benefits lavender farming in the area.

Lentils offer easier farming

The lentil growers say farming lentils is "much easier" than growing wine grapes. They have already signed contracts with local central kitchens and are also growing chickpeas, another legume that requires fewer resources than traditional viticulture.

Financial challenges for diversification

Despite government support, farmers say the 4,000 euros per hectare compensation for removing vineyards is not enough to switch to new crops. Jérôme Despey, president of the agriculture chamber of Hérault, highlights the need for profitable and marketable alternatives to ensure the success of diversification efforts.

Harvests and contracts vary

The Reynards expect to start harvesting pistachios in four to five years, while the lentil growers have already seen good results and secured local contracts. This shows that while some transitions take longer, others are already paying off for farmers adapting to new agricultural practices.