A LEADER program to finance projects that enhance the agricultural and natural areas of the Plateau de Saclay and its valleys

The European program LEADER, "Linking Action for the Development of the Rural Economy", allows actors in rural or peri-urban areas to define a local development strategy by financing part of the planned actions. The LEADER application carried by our partner Terre et Cité for the Plateau de Saclay is divided into three axes and eight strategic objectives, one of which is particularly relevant to us: "Promote interactions between farmers and researchers to support the evolution of agricultural techniques and the emergence of environmental approaches".

The projects financed can have an agricultural vocation, individual or collective, in particular to guarantee the perenniality of agricultural spaces (agricultural circulations, hydraulic network of the gullies), to develop the channels of proximity (points of sale, diversification of productions) or to contribute to improve the environmental practices. They can also contribute to the development of the territory's heritage, for example through the implementation of discovery trails, digital tools or cultural events. Finally, the program allows for the emergence of innovative projects to improve local industries or the consideration of the environment, in conjunction with research, communities, agricultural actors and civil society.

The allocation of these funds is decided by a Programming Committee bringing together all the stakeholders in the area, including a representative of the LabEx. The Plateau de Saclay therefore now has a space for co-construction for the future of its agricultural and natural areas that involves all the stakeholders concerned. The Terre et Cité association is in charge of the animation and the administrative and financial follow-up of the program.

Thus, the LabEx projects that have benefited from LEADER co-financing are the following

• Evaluation of ecosystem services in agro-ecosystems in transition (2016-2019) - ASSETS Flagship project
• Greening of agriculture via waste products and legumes to improve ecosystem services, for local application on the Plateau de Saclay - Support to the PSDR PROLEG project
• Study of potential crop pests in a peri-urban agricultural context (2017-2019)
• Establishment of a conservatory orchard of plant and animal species native to Ile-de-France on the Plateau de Paris Saclay (2019-2021)