West plain of Montpellier

Location, surface
This territory covers 4400 ha, between the hills of La Moure to the north and the Gardiole massif to the south. It is made up of alluvial soils with a fairly high agronomic potential. In terms of land use, there is an east-west urban-rural gradient. Since the 1980s, urban pressure has led to an extension and densification of the habitat, as well as a specialization of the territory in viticulture accompanied by a partial land abandonment in the most urban areas. The important demand for food has made it possible to structure numerous short food circuits.
Types of agricultural production
The utilised agricultural area (UAA) is composed of 1/3 of annual crops, 1/3 of meadows, 1/3 of vineyards (with a dynamic of conversion to organic), and a few hectares of orchards / olive trees and market gardening plots. The territory has about 300 farms of various sizes, some very large. Climate change is noticeable (+0.9°C in 30 years, episodes of high heat, droughts and intense rainfall). The metropolis of Montpellier is very active in supporting the agroecological transition of agriculture and sustainable food.
Issues and place of the phytos issue
The catchment area of the Flès represents a large part of the territory. The level of treatement frequency index (TFI) in field crops and in viticulture is high, and the level of residues measured at the catchment is a threat to its sustainability. The objective shared by many actors is to develop low-impact supply chains, including conversion to organic farming as well as other labeling and contractualization systems. The reduction of phytosanitary products is also in line with the protection of biodiversity, which is very present with Natura 2000 zones and recovery programs for heritage species.
Projections in relation to the project
Several dynamics of actors are underway on the territory: agricultural actors are committed to converting to organic farming, communities are seeking to install farmers with agroecological systems, particularly around the "archipelago farms" of the Agroecological and Food Policy of the Metropolis. The diversification of production systems and the link to livestock farming as an outlet for diversification crops and as a supplier of organic matter are leading to the exploration of the possibilities of reconnecting animal and plant production. Grazing as an alternative to weed control in vineyards or for the development of fallow land seems a promising lever.
The diagnostic phase of BeCreative will allow us to identify the key players and the fields of innovation to be explored in the future.
 A thesis focusing on the western plain of Montpellier will begin in 2022.
Be Creative facilitators :
Marc Moraine