The French government presented on Monday a new strategy aimed at halving the use of pesticides by 2030 compared to the period 2015-2017, in particular by accelerating the development of alternative solutions.
A similar ambition has been missed several times in the past: the first government plan on the subject, Ecophyto launched in 2008, already aimed for a 50% reduction in the use of phytosanitary products in ten years; a second plan, in 2015, took up this same objective but pushed it back to 2025.
The government’s reference indicator is the Nodu (Number of unit doses) which takes into account the quantities of pesticides sold and the surfaces treated, at the maximum approved doses. France went from a Nodu of 82 in 2009 to 120.3 in 2018 before returning to 85.7 in 2021.
According to the government’s new target, it should drop to around 50 in 2030.
Changing practices takes time, but the trajectory has started to reverse with the latest government plan currently being implemented, Ecophyto 2+, an advisor to the Minister of Agriculture argued on Monday during a briefing with the press.
The broad outlines of the new Ecophyto 2030 strategy were revealed to the members of the Strategic Orientation and Monitoring Committee (COS) of the Ecophyto 2+ plan, which includes representatives of the agricultural world, researchers and associations. They have until November 30 to provide their comments on the text, which must be published in early 2024.
The government is proposing a new approach based on accelerating the development of non-chemical and chemical alternative solutions to better prepare for the potential withdrawal of certain active substances, according to a press release from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Initial action plans developed in cooperation with the various agricultural sectors must be presented in December.
The government also wants to support the transition of pesticide users, in particular by strengthening their training or helping their investments in equipment promoting agro-ecological practices.
In addition to the 250 million euros already provided for this purpose in the 2024 finance bill, credits dedicated to Ecophyto 2030 must be announced by the Prime Minister.
The Future Generations association welcomed in a press release the fact that despite the attacks of the FNSEA (first agricultural union, Editor’s note), the objective of reducing the use of pesticides by 50% by 2030 remains relevant. .
However, she considered that the strategy still seemed vague at this stage regarding the level of performance and expected results.