HOMECreated in 1936, Euralis is a major agricultural cooperative in Southwest France which has spent the past few years committing to sustainable agriculture to combat the climate emergency. It has joined forces with the Adour-Garonne Water Agency and the local Catchment Basin Committee as part of an ambitious transformation project to support the agricultural transition through a shared ambition: developing value-added production sectors for farmers with an emphasis on sustainable crops and production methods adapted to climate change. To do so, they signed a partnership agreement binding them until 2027.
Succeeding together in the agro-ecological transition
Local authorities and agricultural stakeholders in Southwest France have combined their efforts in a 2022-2027 Pact for engagement outlining their commitments to the agro-ecological transition. This Pact highlights adaptation measures to make regions more resilient to combat climate change, as well as mitigation measures based on adjustments to agricultural practices and nature-inspired solutions.
The Pact defines the objectives and role of each partner (the State, regions, farmers, agronomic research and professional associations) to help them work together to guarantee access to high-quality water while providing sustainable economic models.
Uniting stakeholders
With this Pact, and by signing this partnership agreement, Euralis, the Adour-Garonne Water Agency and the Basin Committee agree to develop, promote and support agricultural practices, solutions and sectors (plant, livestock and energy) compatible with the protection and availability of water resources, while safeguarding the revenues of the cooperative’s member farms.
The actions undertaken may give rise to feedback and communication in the context of the Pact follow-up.
The agreement covers the cooperative’s area of activity in the Adour-Garonne basin.
Euralis is committed to:
- establishing and implementing a climate change adaptation strategy (developing sectors that are less water-intensive and require fewer input products, access to water and resources, etc.);
- supporting the agro-ecological transition of farms, with the roll-out of the Gaïa project aimed at showcasing environmental practices via a production contract (14,000 hectares in 2024);
- benchmarking, testing and developing innovative solutions;
- relying on innovation to implement equipment and strategies that boost efficiency in water management.
The Adour-Garonne Water Agency is committed to:
- presenting research and development projects drawn up according to this agreement to its decision-making entities;
- facilitating Euralis’s involvement in industry studies funded by the Agency and any other study or scheme that the Agency considers relevant, such as SAGEs (water management strategies).
- providing its water-related data to Euralis and facilitating access to existing data concerning the regions where it operates;
- participating in study and project piloting committees to provide knowledge about the regions.
Euralis and the Adour-Garonne Water Agency are also committed to working together to develop economic models.
Find out more
Euralis: With over 6,000 members, 160,000 hectares of crops in Southwest France and 5,300 employees, the Euralis cooperative group is present in 16 countries and generates an annual turnover of €1.58 billion euros. Aware of both its responsibility and its privileged position, Euralis aims to contribute positively to regional development in terms of agriculture, agrifood and energy production.
The Adour-Garonne Water Agency: The Adour-Garonne Water Agency is a public institution in charge of implementing public policy measures for water management in western France. It ensures the sustainable and inclusive distribution of water resources in the Adour, Garonne, Dordogne and Charente river basins. The Adour-Garonne basin is home to a wide variety of rich natural landscapes, including two natural water towers (the Pyrenees and the Massif Central), 120,000 km of water networks, extensive underground water supplies and a 650 km coastline.
To preserve the quality and quantity of river water, it funds nearly 7,000 projects per year (purification stations, drinking water treatment plants, preserving water environments and restoring rivers), totalling 300 million euros on average. The Adour-Garonne Water Agency has a headquarters located in Toulouse, and four other offices in Pau, Bordeaux, Brive and Rodez.
A presentation of the agro-ecological transition is appended
For more information, please visit: www.eau-grandsudouest.fr
Appendix
A pact to accelerate the agro-ecological transition
in the Adour-Garonne basin
Pierre-André Durand, coordinating prefect of the Adour-Garonne basin, Alain Rousset, President of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council and President of the Adour-Garonne Basin Committee, Vincent Labarthe, Vice-President of the Occitanie Region, representing Carole Delga, President of the Occitanie Region, Guillaume Choisy, Managing Director of the Adour-Garonne Water Agency, Luc Servant, President of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Chamber of Agriculture, Denis Carretier, President of the Occitanie Regional Chamber of Agriculture, Denis Baro, President of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Coopération Agricole professional association, Jean-Pierre Arcoutel, President of the Occitanie Coopération Agricole professional association and Pierre-Benoit Joly, Regional Delegate of INRAE Occitanie all signed the 2022-2027 pact for the agro-ecological transition of the Adour-Garonne basin. This marks a major step which steers a joint effort to support the agro-ecological transition in western France.
Joint commitments of the public authorities and agricultural sectors to protect water supplies
The 2022-2027 Pact constitutes an operational roll-out of the objectives set out by the Varenne national debate on agricultural water and adapting to climate change.
It defines the objectives and role of each partner (State, regions, farmers, agronomic research and professional associations) to help them work together to guarantee access to high-quality water and agricultural production that meets current environmental challenges.
- 3 main objectives
- Having 70% of water supplies in good condition by 2027 and aiming for an overall reduction in nitrate and pesticide levels in the basin’s strategic catchments by 2027;
- Committing to voluntarily mobilising a set of solutions covering 850,000 m3 to restore balance in the watersheds and thus reduce the deficit announced to 1.2 million m3 by 2050 if no action is taken;
- Contributing to productive agriculture rooted in regions and combining environmental protection and profitability for all industry stakeholders with the aim of improving added value, ensuring the renewal of generations and maintaining agricultural areas.
- 5 shared ambitions
- Supporting economically efficient agriculture which is sustainable and has succeeded in the agro-ecological transition
- Helping to meet water requirements for agricultural needs and all uses, while protecting the environment, by mobilising a combination of solutions;
- Guaranteeing the quality of water resources, primarily in drinking water catchments, by drawing on the principles of agro-ecology;
- Protecting the environment, biodiversity and natural areas through agriculture which provides environmental services while benefiting from ecosystem services;
- Implementing projects to support local development by rallying all regional operators and maintaining or developing dynamic regions which create added value.
- Over 60 commitments and annual follow-up
- The commitments of the Pact focus on the joint results and objectives for 2027.
A conference of the signatories, coordinated by the Adour-Garonne Water Agency, will evaluate and share the progress of its commitments at least once a year. A committee of financing partners, composed of the State, regions, and the Adour-Garonne Water Agency has been drawn up in the context of the Adour-Garonne basin’s “Entente pour l’eau” joint project to define strategies for supporting water-related projects. - So far, several initiatives have already been funded.
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Adapting to climate change by drawing on the principles of agro-ecology: western France is already committed Western France is highly exposed to climate change, which is responsible for causing a significant and rapid deterioration in the quality and quantity of its water resources. The flow rate of the Garonne has already decreased by 25% over the past twenty years. While the quality of water sources and waterways has improved, pollution (nitrates and pesticides) still affects 40% of the basin’s surface water and groundwater bodies. The Basin Committee has subsequently adopted a strategy to boost agro-ecological development.
To cope with the expected magnification of the impacts of climate change on food, landscapes and quality of life in western France, promoting new agro-ecological practices has emerged as a priority at several levels. Firstly, within the Adour-Garonne basin’s “Entente pour l’eau” project, which brings together the services of the State, the Adour-Garonne Water Agency and the Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions, by supporting 24 projects representing a total of 2.3 million euros of funding, and secondly, to conclude the Varenne national debate on agricultural water and adapting to climate change, launched by the Government, and which places an emphasis on agro-ecology. |
Press contacts:
Adour-Garonne Water Agency: Catherine Belaval, +33 (0)6 08 73 64 03, catherine.belaval@eau-adour-garonne.fr
Euralis: Nathalie Salmon, +33 (0)6 48 08 52 88, nathalie.salmon@euralis.com