Every year, during the Salon de l’Agriculture, the general agricultural competition rewards farmers for their practices and products. Previously only reserved for certain regions, the agroforestry category has been opened to all of France for the year 2023. An opportunity for the Park to organise this competition in various areas of the territory.
What is agroforestry?
In the context of the competition, agroforestry is understood in its broadest form: that is to say, all the activities of farmers who integrate trees into their farm (intra-plot with tree alignments in the plots (parcel of land), hedgerows, (meadow) orchards, pollarded trees ...).
These practices fall under the category of "agro-ecology" because they respond to the climatic challenges of the territory: they make it possible to store carbon, to create micro-climates in the plots or to limit soil erosion. Not to mention that trees are a source of local renewable energy and important reservoirs of biodiversity and they form landscapes that support local development. These are the reasons why the Park decided to organise the competition.
A competition within the Haute Vallée de la Sarthe, a catchment area
Because the Upper Sarthe Valley has a strong bocage landscape, this is the area chosen for the 2024 competition. The competition is open free of charge to all farmers in the following communes:
Avrilly ■ Bagnoles de l'Orne Normandie ■ Barenton ■ Céaucé ■ Champsecret ■ Domfront-en-Poiraie ■ Ger ■ Juvigny-Val-d'Andaine ■ Lonlay-l'Abbaye ■ Mantilly ■ Mortain Bocage ■ Passais-Villages ■ Perrou ■ Rives-d'Andaine ■ Saint-Bômer-les-Forges ■ Saint-Brice ■ Saint-Cyr-du-Bailleul ■ Saint-Fraimbault ■ Saint-Georges-de-Rouelley ■ Saint-Gilles-des-Marais ■ Saint-Mars-d'Egrenne ■ Saint-Roch-sur-Egrenne ■ Tessé-Froulay ■ Torchamp.
Two ways to apply:
• Business structure category: an agroforestry plot that is at least 4 years old and has been established by the applicant farmer. It is the design of the system and its implementation that will be evaluated.
• Management category: agroforestry plot that is at least 10 years old, whether installed by the current or previous farmer. It is the practices of the agroforestry system that will be evaluated.
How to apply?
• Choose an agroforestry plot that fully participates in the farm's system.
• Verify, if necessary, with the help of the Park, that this plot is of agroforestry interest.
• Apply by contacting the Park
• Open your farm to the jury at the end of August to present the plot and its role in the operation
Evaluation
A multi-disciplinary jury (arboriculture, agronomy, ecology, agricultural education, landscape) will visit the candidates' plots at the end of August 2023, before a local prize-giving ceremony and a possible selection for the national competition. The plots that will be rewarded will be those that present the best balance between agricultural and ecological value.
A two-stage competition
Stage 1 - Local Competition
• Visit to the candidate plots (end of August 2022) and deliberation by the jury.
• Local awards ceremony. The winning farmer will then represent the territory at the national competition.
Stage 2 - General Agriculture Competition
• Deliberation by the national jury to designate the winning farms in the national competition, based on the information sent by the local juries.
• National prize-giving ceremony at the Salon de l'Agriculture, with the local winner.