Title: Territorial agri-environmental measures and inequality: some insights from the French case

Authors: Alexandre Berthe; Jacqueline Candau; Sylvie Ferrari; Baptiste Hautdidier; Vanessa Kuentz-Simonet; Charlotte Scordia; Frédéric Zahm

Addresses: LiRIS, University of Rennes 2, Place du Recteur Henri Le Moal, 35000 Rennes, France ' ETTIS Unit, INRAE, 50 Avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas Cedex, France ' University of Bordeaux, BSE (UMR CNRS 6060), Avenue Leon Duguit, 33600 Pessac, France ' ETTIS Unit, INRAE, 50 Avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas Cedex, France ' ETTIS Unit, INRAE, 50 Avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas Cedex, France ' ETTIS Unit, INRAE, 50 Avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas Cedex, France ' ETTIS Unit, INRAE, 50 Avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas Cedex, France

Abstract: Given the challenge of prejudging whether contracting a MAEt - a territorial agri-environmental policy in France - constitutes an environmental effort on the part of the farmers, this study addresses questions of fairness raised by MAEt. Although the policy is focused on improving environment quality, there are consequences in terms of equity of access and the level of compensation obtained. The study employed statistics over the period of 2007-2013 to identify farms with access to MAEt and the associated inequalities. Contracting farmers are similar to those receiving other direct subsidies; thus, the same equity issues are addressed. However, monetary compensation does not appear to worsen income inequality between farmers. Finally, a focus on MAEt implementation in three regions highlights the key role of contrasted but persistent logics in the definition of priority areas, a hint at a possible lack of realignment of the MAEt scheme after 2013.

Keywords: MAEt; territorial agri-environmental measures; inequality; equity; environmental effort; multifunctionality; France.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2022.128252

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2022 Vol.18 No.4, pp.346 - 367

Received: 06 Aug 2021
Accepted: 26 Apr 2022
Published online: 13 Jan 2023 *

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