Agroecology Network

The Agroecology network was born from the desire to consolidate an interdisciplinary collective in the LabEx BASC following the research school "Building an interdisciplinary collective in agroecology in the LabEx BASC: assets and perspectives" held from 22 to 25 January 2018 at the Bergerie de Villarceaux. Funded by the LabEx BASC, this research school aimed to cross the views on agroecology of researchers from different disciplines and laboratories and to define the way(s) in which they could take charge of it and claim it in the interdisciplinary logic that is that of the LabEx. A real emulation and dynamic was created during these days and the will to continue the reflections and exchanges within a network focused on agroecology was born. The launch day of the AE network took place in June 2018 and an interdisciplinary and inter-institutional steering committee was formed (see list below).

The objective of the network is to create a space for exchange and sharing of knowledge and methods in agroecology. It is initially dedicated to researchers, because there is a real need to get to know each other better and to share our working methods and ways of understanding the complexity of subjects and objects of study related to agroecology (from the agroecosystem to the socio-ecological system). By the very nature of the subjects treated in agroecology (e.g. land management), interactions with practitioners are necessary. It is therefore planned to involve them in the network (actors in the agricultural production sector, managers of natural, urban and peri-urban environments, public decision-makers).

It therefore aims to :

• continue to get to know each other better
• exchange on common concepts / methods
• reflect on the sharing of experimental devices
• strengthen the link with non-academic actors
• reflect on the improvement of training
• to co-construct projects / thesis topics...

Five themes were proposed at the end of the research school: agro-ecological transition at the scale of territories; taking into account the interactions between cultivated and semi-natural biodiversity within agroecosystems at the different scales at which they can be defined; taking into account the adaptation and transformability of living organisms at these different levels of organisation; modelling the sustainability and resilience of agroecosystems in a context of global change. During the network launch day, two working groups were defined: "Tools, methods and concepts" and "Training", in which the five themes mentioned above could be addressed.

The network is led by a steering committee:

• François Chiron - ecology
• Charlotte da Cunha - land use planning
• Cyril Girardin - soil science
• Isabelle Goldringer - genetics
• Laurent Huber - bioclimatology
• Alexandra Jullien - ecophysiology
• François Léger - agroecology
• Diane Maurissen - (project manager of LabEx BASC)
• Safia Médiène - agronomy (network coordinator)
• Florence Pinton - sociology
• Corinne Robert - epidemiology

There are currently 61 people registered on the network mailing list from 16 different laboratories (including 15 BASC labs). The Agroecology network covers many disciplines (see below). To join the network and be informed of its news, contact Safia Médiène (safia.mediene [at] agroparistech.fr).

In terms of laboratories:

The network has produced a number of notable outputs:

-a positioning note on agroecology written by the organizing committee of the research school based on the exchanges and reflections from this meeting of 33 people from different laboratories and disciplines. This note is in the process of being submitted.

-Annual exchange days organized by the steering committee of the network. The themes addressed in 2019 were "Dynamics and evolution of socio-ecosystems to meet the challenges of agroecology" and "Genericity, contextualization of knowledge produced and mobilized in agroecology". During this day, we invited external people to debate on these complex subjects. We also highlighted intra-BASC work (especially that of doctoral students) in order to promote better inter-knowledge within the network and why not future collaborations. The 2020 exchange day organized remotely over half a day (due to the Covid crisis) was on the theme: "Transition towards sustainable territories: agriculture and food". In order to respond to the network's desire to exchange with actors other than researchers, we invited several field actors (AMAP Idf, CESFO catering, Paris City Hall) to exchange and debate on this topic.

-publications:

• Desbois D., Économie du stockage agricole de carbone dans les sols, Déméter 2021 Produire et se nourrir : le défi quotidien d'un monde déboussolé, pp. 134-136.
• Desbois D., Modélisation structurelle: une application à l'évaluation de pratiques écosystémiques au niveau de la parcelle, Le Cahier des Techniques de l'Inra 2020 (101).
• La biodiversité, nouvel enjeu de la RSE, Revue Cadres 2022

For the time being, the network has not yet led to the submission of joint projects. However, the dynamics initiated since the research school have been consolidated within a group of researchers who share the desire to exchange and get to know each other better in order to eventually develop their skills in joint projects. But this inter-knowledge, especially between different disciplines on complex subjects, requires time, which this network allows.

It is essential that the "agro-ecology" network be able to continue within the framework of the Université Paris-Saclay, so that the work done so far can bear fruit. The animation projects and the themes identified to continue our reflections are at the heart of the University's sustainable development issues.

===> The coordinator presents the network and its results in video (LabEx BASC scientific days, Feb. 2021)

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Below you will find reports and presentations of the Agroecology Network events until 2021. In 2022, the annual day was held on March 25: you will find the details on the C-BASC website.