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Cotton, a high-value crop of primary financial importance for Greece, is directly affected by a wide range of environmental parameters, and water scarcity threatens the sustainability of irrigated cotton production in many regions around the world. Reducing inputs with an appropriate cultivar may not decrease cotton production and fiber quality while improving sustainability. To investigate cotton varietal responses to water stress and lack of nutrients, in the climate of north Greece, a three-year experiment was conducted in Thessaloniki, Greece. Four cotton cultivars (three of Greek origin and one from Africa) were cultivated under four irrigation (normal and reduced by 75%, 50%, and 25%) and two fertilization levels (normal and 50%). The effect of these treatments on productivity and quality were estimated, with the final objective being the reduction of inputs and more sustainable cotton production. Cotton producers are dealing with a cost price squeeze and the present study demonstrates that reducing the fertilization inputs even by half and the reduction of irrigation by 25% has no significant effect neither on yield nor on the main technological characteristics. This highlights the fact that a more sustainable use of inputs, contrary to common management, will have almost the same yield and even increase the farmer's income.

En Amérique du Sud, les politiques publiques s'intéressent de près aux technologies alternatives aux intrants chimiques agricoles (pesticides et engrais). Certains pays sud-américains soutiennent les intrants biologiques, dits aussi biointrants, avec des programmes nationaux incitatifs et la transformation des réglementations. L'Argentine, le Brésil et la Colombie occupent un rôle pilote. Cette promotion des biointrants n'est néanmoins pas pensée dans une optique de rupture avec les modèles industriels de production agricole, dont les États tirent une grande partie de leurs recettes fiscales grâce aux exportations. Ils cherchent plutôt à aménager une coexistence entre intrants chimiques et biologiques dans le cadre d'une transition tournée vers la bioéconomie. La promotion des biointrants rencontre en ce sens les attentes de nombreux agriculteurs sud-américains et celles de l'industrie des intrants agricoles, qui se diversifie depuis une dizaine d'années dans ces technologies. Cette dynamique industrielle vient en partie se heurter à des mouvements d'agriculteurs défendant la production à la ferme des intrants biologiques.

In South America, public policies take a strong interest in alternative technologies to agricultural chemical inputs (pesticides and fertilisers). Some South American countries support biological inputs, also known as bioinputs, through national incentive programmes and regulatory changes. Argentina, Brazil and Colombia are playing a leading role. However, the intention behind this promotion of bioinputs is not to break with industrial agricultural production models, from which States derive a large part of their tax income through exports. Rather, the goal is to foster coexistence between chemical and biological inputs in the context of a transition towards the bioeconomy. In this sense, the promotion of bioinputs meets the expectations of many South American farmers, as well as those of the agricultural inputs industry, which over the last few decades has diversified into these technologies. But these industrial dynamics are counter to certain farmers' movements that defend on-farm production of biological inputs.

This paper investigates the perceptions of a diversity of stakeholders supporting smallholders in the eastern Brazilian Amazon about ecosystem services and agricultural practices. Our results come from 30 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in two contrasting municipalities in this region (Paragominas and Irituia). We identified 17 different ecosystem services and 15 agricultural practices. Using a multidimensional scaling (MDS), we differentiated the stakeholders' perceptions of co-production of ecosystem services. The most mentioned ecosystem services are food supply, regulation of water cycles, soil fertility and erosion prevention. Overall, there is a positive perception that agricultural practices are providing ecosystem services. Biodiversity-based practices are associated with the provision of a broad range of ecosystem services whereas mechanical-chemical practices are mainly linked to food supply. Use of fire, deforestation and use of chemical pesticides are perceived as having most negative effects on the provision of ecosystem services. The type of activity performed by the stakeholders and their municipality are the main factors influencing their perception of ecosystem services co-production. In conclusion, the concept of co-production of ecosystem services related to agroecosystems is relevant as local actors recognize a diversity of effects of agricultural practices on service provision.

In South America, public policies take a strong interest in alternative technologies to agricultural chemical inputs (pesticides and fertilisers). Some South American countries support biological inputs, also known as bioinputs, through national incentive programmes and regulatory changes. Argentina, Brazil and Colombia are playing a leading role. However, the intention behind this promotion of bioinputs is not to break with industrial agricultural production models, from which States derive a large part of their tax income through exports. Rather, the goal is to foster coexistence between chemical and biological inputs in the context of a transition towards the bioeconomy. In this sense, the promotion of bioinputs meets the expectations of many South American farmers, as well as those of the agricultural inputs industry, which over the last few decades has diversified into these technologies. But these industrial dynamics are counter to certain farmers' movements that defend on-farm production of biological inputs.

En Amérique du Sud, les politiques publiques s'intéressent de près aux technologies alternatives aux intrants chimiques agricoles (pesticides et engrais). Certains pays sud-américains soutiennent les intrants biologiques, dits aussi biointrants, avec des programmes nationaux incitatifs et la transformation des réglementations. L'Argentine, le Brésil et la Colombie occupent un rôle pilote. Cette promotion des biointrants n'est néanmoins pas pensée dans une optique de rupture avec les modèles industriels de production agricole, dont les États tirent une grande partie de leurs recettes fiscales grâce aux exportations. Ils cherchent plutôt à aménager une coexistence entre intrants chimiques et biologiques dans le cadre d'une transition tournée vers la bioéconomie. La promotion des biointrants rencontre en ce sens les attentes de nombreux agriculteurs sud-américains et celles de l'industrie des intrants agricoles, qui se diversifie depuis une dizaine d'années dans ces technologies. Cette dynamique industrielle vient en partie se heurter à des mouvements d'agriculteurs défendant la production à la ferme des intrants biologiques.

This paper investigates the perceptions of a diversity of stakeholders supporting smallholders in the eastern Brazilian Amazon about ecosystem services and agricultural practices. Our results come from 30 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in two contrasting municipalities in this region (Paragominas and Irituia). We identified 17 different ecosystem services and 15 agricultural practices. Using a multidimensional scaling (MDS), we differentiated the stakeholders' perceptions of co-production of ecosystem services. The most mentioned ecosystem services are food supply, regulation of water cycles, soil fertility and erosion prevention. Overall, there is a positive perception that agricultural practices are providing ecosystem services. Biodiversity-based practices are associated with the provision of a broad range of ecosystem services whereas mechanical-chemical practices are mainly linked to food supply. Use of fire, deforestation and use of chemical pesticides are perceived as having most negative effects on the provision of ecosystem services. The type of activity performed by the stakeholders and their municipality are the main factors influencing their perception of ecosystem services co-production. In conclusion, the concept of co-production of ecosystem services related to agroecosystems is relevant as local actors recognize a diversity of effects of agricultural practices on service provision.

Reducing the use of synthetic inputs by shifting to alternative practices is becoming a growing priority in the agricultural sector. This study aims to understand how farmers manage this shift on diversified horticultural farms. The implementation of alternative practices at the crop level was analyzed on 28 farms on La Réunion Island (France). The surveys conducted combined interviews with farmers and the use of a dedicated indicator. Implementation of alternative practices depends on (i) the specificities of each production case (PC) defined as the combination of a crop with its biological features, a production mode and an economic environment (available technical support and market specifications), and (ii) links between PC within a farm. Five clusters of PC were identified based on their specificities. Links between PC take the form of competition over farm resources or, conversely, exchanges of biomass, inputs, equipment and skills acquired on each PC. These results provide an analytical framework to help advisors better support the diversity of farm involvement in shifting from synthetic inputs to alternative practices.

IFDC, CIRAD et leurs partenaires Africains proposent un passage à grande échelle du transfert des technologies qui visent une utilisation plus efficace et plus rentable des intrants externes. Dans l'espace de quelques années, l'introduction participative de la gestion intégrée de la fertilités des sols et des nuisances augmentera la marge des producteurs de coton après remboursement d'intrants de près de 60.000 F CFA/ha/an; à terme une augmentation de 75.000 F CFA peut être envisagé. En d'autres termes, la marge des producteurs pourrait être augmentée de 50% sur la base des prix de 2003.

IFDC, CIRAD et leurs partenaires Africains proposent un passage à grande échelle du transfert des technologies qui visent une utilisation plus efficace et plus rentable des intrants externes. Dans l'espace de quelques années, l'introduction participative de la gestion intégrée de la fertilités des sols et des nuisances augmentera la marge des producteurs de coton après remboursement d'intrants de près de 60.000 F CFA/ha/an; à terme une augmentation de 75.000 F CFA peut être envisagé. En d'autres termes, la marge des producteurs pourrait être augmentée de 50% sur la base des prix de 2003.

Les concepts de développement technique largement utilisés en agriculture bananière intensive sont basés sur la mise au point d'une agriculture raisonnée de plus en plus performante. L'objectif affiché est clairement de maintenir ou de faire progresser les rendements tout en limitant les intrants en pesticides et en engrais. Au delà de l'approche triviale qui consisterait à vouloir justifier chaque apport nutritif ou produit phytosanitaire (limitation des intrants par abolition des apports systématiques), le Cirad-flhor a développé des outils de diagnostic agricole, des technologies et des techniques culturales utilisables à l'échelle de la parcelle ou du bassin de production.

Les concepts de développement technique largement utilisés en agriculture bananière intensive sont basés sur la mise au point d'une agriculture raisonnée de plus en plus performante. L'objectif affiché est clairement de maintenir ou de faire progresser les rendements tout en limitant les intrants en pesticides et en engrais. Au delà de l'approche triviale qui consisterait à vouloir justifier chaque apport nutritif ou produit phytosanitaire (limitation des intrants par abolition des apports systématiques), le Cirad-flhor a développé des outils de diagnostic agricole, des technologies et des techniques culturales utilisables à l'échelle de la parcelle ou du bassin de production.