EDITORIAL
The TRANSITIONS programme illustrates the trust that exists between the stakeholders of plant and grain value chains and their desire to work together. TRANSITIONS is an optimistic vision of agriculture — a regenerative, forward-looking model of agriculture that reconciles sustainability, innovation and productivity.
For this first edition of our TRANSITIONS coalition newsletter, which will be published on a quarterly basis, to follow the rhythm of the seasons, we wanted to share our experiences and concrete action plans. You have chosen to support TRANSITIONS and the first 200 farmers involved, who are committed to changing their farming practices; this newsletter is intended to foster a connection with them. It is a window into our region, where the crops you will soon process are grown. It is also an opportunity for you and your teams to find out more about the agronomic measures that promote soil resilience, help fight climate change and protect biodiversity.
In a few days, TRANSITIONS will be introduced to the general public at the Paris International Agricultural Show. This will also be an opportunity for us to celebrate two new developments: the officialization of TRANSITIONS as a winner of the France 2030 plan, and the launch of the research chair with UniLaSalle and INRAE. Because science and innovation combined with knowledge acquired in the field are the key to our success, this research chair will be a great boon for the TRANSITIONS programme and will help to accelerate solutions and agronomic progress. It represents a significant part of how TRANSITIONS will evolve from a technical standpoint. We look forward to seeing you with VIVESCIA’s teams on 26 February.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with any suggestions, comments or questions that may help us improve this newsletter.
Happy reading!
Valerie Frapier, Group CSR director and Director of the TRANSITIONS Programme
Flash-back: January training. Since last autumn, 175 farmers have followed training courses as part of the TRANSITIONS programme. Hear from the participants at one of the workshops below.
Flash-back: January training. Since last autumn, 175 farmers have followed training courses as part of the TRANSITIONS programme. Hear from the participants at one of the workshops below.
Why and how we collect data. Explanations from TRANSITIONS Regenerative Agriculture Programme Manager, Thomas Cornelis, and CEO of Wiuz, Marc Hoppenot.
Why and how we collect data. Explanations from TRANSITIONS Regenerative Agriculture Programme Manager, Thomas Cornelis, and CEO of Wiuz, Marc Hoppenot.
Data is central to the TRANSITIONS programme because it enables us to communicate on and promote the practices implemented by farmers. The farmer enters their data into their traceability software — an open agronomic digital platform that we manage with our partner Wiuz — which enables farmers to quickly and easily manage all their everyday activities, giving them all the data they need to manage their farm in real-time.
Based on the data collected, we calculate indicators that determine whether the farmer is in line with the programme’s objectives and whether their crops meet its targets, which is a prerequisite for the farmers to receive the related bonuses.
Data enables us to measure us the progress made through these practices and their impact, because we are aiming to initiate a shift towards farming practices that generate less greenhouse gas, store more carbon in the soil, improve soil resilience and promote biodiversity. We can see all this in the data collected from farmers.
The data proves the environmental value of TRANSITIONS grain. So, when, as a customer, you buy these crops, you have evidence of its value, including its carbon footprint and its overall environmental performance level. This robust data is the cornerstone of the programme and the confidence between upstream and downstream partners.
“Data is what will enable us to manage action plans, to monitor farmers’ progress, to check that we meet our commitments and prove our impact. Thanks to this data, you will be able to measure the impact of your investment in the soil, in farms and in changing practices.”
Thomas Cornélis, Head of Regenerative Agriculture for the TRANSITIONS programme
The farmer enters all the relevant data concerning their farm into the software application, Vi@parcelle by Wiuz; plots, soil type, geographical limits, past and current crop rotations, cover crops etc. – all the traceability and technical data related to their crops. Throughout the year, we collect information on everything done to the crops: tilling, sowing, mineral or organic fertiliser and pesticides use, the products used, and irrigation where relevant. And finally, the harvest date, yields and residues.
Based on all this information, we calculate valuable indicators for the farmer: it is a real technical assistant that allows them, and the VIVESCIA engineer, to understand and optimise the work they do on each plot, and to create forecasts.
The reliability of the data is guaranteed by three levels of security. First of all, thanks to interactions between the farmer, the engineer and/or the VIVESCIA new technologies expert through vi@parcelle, which limits the risk of error and incorrect data entry. Then, we check all the indicators and data entered for possible inconsistencies. And finally, Bureau Veritas audits the farmers to ensure that the data entered matches their farm, their practices and other things such as fertiliser invoices.
“TRANSITIONS is based on very precise, measurable, empirical objectives that will enable us to make commitments with full transparency for everyone. Wiuz is the interface between the data collected by the farmer and the official calculators, who will calculate indicators that will be useful for the farmer as well as producing statistics on all farmers, which will enable us to measure the results of the programme and to report our progress to customers and stakeholders.”
Marc Hoppenot, CEO of Wiuz.
Group photo: The data working group – the first working group organised as part of the coalition
#collectiveintelligence #pedagogy
(From left to right): Magali AMOUROUX, Roquette; Claire GRASSET, Roquette; Thibaut DUMANS, Avril Saipol ; Julien ROY, Malteurop ; Julien BESNIER, Avril Saipol; Anne-Vanessa PROFIZI, GMP; Christophe DUCHEZ, GMP ; Peggy CARIOU, Wiuz; Alexandre ARNOUT, Tereos; Jean-Yves DEJARDIN, Malteurop;Camille BALOURDET, Malteurop; Vincent GREGOIRE, Tereos ; Marc HOPPENOT, Wiuz; Valentina PAIRONE, Etea Sedamyl ; Thomas CORNELIS, VIVESCIA Cooperative; Ugo SIDOLI, Etea Sedamyl
Following the first tests, the large-scale processing of TRANSITIONS data will soon start. Follow events as they unfold.
Following the first tests, the large-scale processing of TRANSITIONS data will soon start. Follow events as they unfold.
In April, all the data collected and processed by Wiuz will be sent to secure calculators, which are capable of processing large volumes of data such as those produced as part of the TRANSITIONS programme.
Once the data has been processed, in June, we will have indicators on each plot’s net GHG production, as well as all the other indicators monitored as part of the programme.
In October and November 2023, the first collective training sessions were organised as part of the TRANSITIONS programme.
In October and November 2023, the first collective training sessions were organised as part of the TRANSITIONS programme.
In October and November 2023, the first collective training sessions were organised as part of the TRANSITIONS programme. The purpose of these sessions was to help cooperative farmers involved in the project to improve their agronomic indicators and help them transition to regenerative agricultural methods that store carbon in the soil and fight climate change while preventing biodiversity loss.
Half of the 200 farmers involved were there, alongside around 50 of the Cooperative’s technical sales reps. There was a visit to the test fields in Nuisement-sur-Coole and Bar-sur-Seine, as well as a field trip devoted to cover crops in Banogne Recouvrance, where the participants learnt about cover crops’ connection to the carbon cycle, and which crop to choose based on their objectives.
The TRANSITIONS programme as seen by French and global media.
The TRANSITIONS programme as seen by French and global media.
The Financial Times has published an in-depth article that focuses on the challenges of agriculture; the TRANSITIONS programme is among the examples cited, with the perspective of our partner, Earthworm.
Agridées Magazine interviewed VIVESCIA’s CSR Director and Director of the TRANSITIONS programme, Valérie Frapier. Read it here: