WEBINAR – Achieving Green Deal targets in France through supporting farmers groups - (13/09/2023)

On 13 September 2023, the Embassy of France to Australia organised a hybrid event aimed at promoting to Australian counterparts the approaches of farmers' groups in France, as drivers for achieving sustainability targets: reducing the use of inputs, improving soil health, taking better account of animal welfare, improving resilience through value adding... The event, held both at the Residence of France and virtually, was opened by the French and EU Ambassadors to Australia.

After a presentation by the French Ministry of Agriculture on the DEPHY, 30 000 and GIEE farm networks, four farmers’ groups took the floor to testify successively on their projects and results

INRAe then gave an overview of the state of research on the subject, highlighting indicators, data collection and the scientific and statistical methodologies supporting the analysis of such approaches.

Finally, before a Q&A session, Agrifutures Australia took the floor to describe the Australian agricultural sector's sustainability approach, and in particular its goal of net emissions neutrality by 2030.

While a cocktail party closed the event at the Residence of France, allowing for less formal exchanges, questions from participants, both online and in attendance, focused on key points. These included the feasibility of European Green Deal objectives, in relation to Common Agricultural Policy subsidies; digital technologies used by French farmers; and the state of development of organic farming in France.​