Features of Agriculture in the Geneva Region

Transcription

1 Features of Agriculture in the Geneva Region UNIL University of Lausanne COST - Action Urban Agriculture Europe September Alain Bidaux Head of the Department of agriculture, Geneva 1

2 General Context Land use CH GE +/- Urbanization 8% 36% +450% Farming 36% 36% = Nature 56% 28% -50% Canton of Geneva = ~ 6% CH population ~ 1% CH territory ~ 1% CH agriculture Lausanne CH Geneva Canton(GE) 2

3 Genève, canton - city Farming Population : less than 1% Nb of farms : 435 (76% full time) Suisse (Vaud) Cultivated surfaces (in green) : 11'290 ha - CH: 10'109 ha (90%) - FR: 1'181 ha (10%) France Borders : 107 km - whith CH: 5 km - whith FR: 103 km France (free zone) A free zone since 1815 (congress of Vienna) Genève Impacts of town and country proximity J proximity of consummers J high purchasing power L high labor costs L difficult access to land tenure France 3

4 Genève a diversified agricultural production 4

5 Genève Initiatives to promote proximity Subscriptions for weekly delivery of vegetable baskets (many initiatives) Market of seed pieces, cooperative Cocagne 5

6 Agriculture in Geneva Incomes (total 145 mio CHF) Field crops 17% Directs incomes 15% Animal husbandry 3% Arboriculture 3% Specific Aspects: Truck farming 21% Truck farming : 21% of incomes but 2% of cultivated areas Grape - Wine 41% Grape - Wine : 41% of incomes for 13% of cultivated areas 6

7 Agriculture in Geneva Challenges Challenges Withstand competition High production costs French supermarkets nearby Withstand the land pressure Urban sprawl Low density development Difficult access to land ownership A sustainable agriculture Strategies Territorial Label «Genève Region Terre Avenir»: - Quality - Proximity - Traceability - Social Equity Managment of the territorial development è Great Geneva (Geneva, Vaud, France) Strengthening legislation è Town and country planning act Strengthening rural land tenure è since 1992, priority to farmers Public support for the development of sustainable agricultural infrastructure è Funded in part by a tax on land tenure capital gains 7

8 Genève - Promotion of the local agriculture A territorial brand : GRTA (Genève Région Terre Avenir) For the public For catering è 1 label, 500 products è A foundation for the promotion of agricultural products : OPAGE è Website: Development of direct marketing è 45% of farms practice direct marketing Support to innovation (development of niches products) New : development of selling points in town è The Urban Farm project 8

9 Genève Project of Urban Farm in Bernex - Confignon With its fields, its farm, its sale s point and public park, the project of Agro-park seeks to address both the needs of the population and the agriculture. Place of exchange between farmers and consumers Place to promote local products which complements the network of farms selling directly to consumers. Timeframe: ç The Budé Farm : already existing 9

10 Genève the agglomeration project Key datas: 950'000 inhabitants 450'000 jobs 222 communes 2'000 km 2 Aim è to insure a coherent development of infrastuctures in the urban region Agriculture è «Agglomeration project for agriculture»: Common communication part Regional development project 10

11 Agglo Geneva Project «chez mon fermier» Web atlas of all the farms in the Geneva region 11

12 Genève Projet de développement régional (PDR) The regional development project (PDR) : implementation of the farming infrastructures of Geneva Origin : ecological and energy balance of agricultural sector (2009). Funding : from the Canton of Geneva s tax on land betterment è form of compensation to mitigate the impacts of urbanization of agriculture 12