The context
Creating a micro-farm or an agro-ecological agricultural transition project inspired by permaculture is still an obstacle course today. There are few organizations providing advice or training on these practices. Banks do not finance them, policies do not provide a framework that encourages them.
Project
The Ferme d'Avenir association is putting in place the means to respond to all of these challenges: advice to promoters of farm creation or conversion projects, creation of technical and economic references and model farms, training and experimentation sites on these practices, long training on the development of local and territorial dynamic sectors, companionship program with refugees to learn the market gardening profession in permaculture farms, innovative and participative financing (Blue Bees and other funds in creation), awareness raising for the general public in agro-ecology and permaculture, advocacy with local elected officials and parliamentarians to encourage the installation of inspiring farms, organic and local in canteens, and more.
Fermes d'Avenir concretely helps projects with positive impacts to finance themselves, and does so via two main channels: the crowdfunding platform BlueBees, and the organization of the Agriculteurs d'Avenir competition, organized to reward remarkable agro-ecological or agro-forestry projects .
Project leaders
The association was initially created in 2014 by Maxime de Rostolan, and the patron Louis-Albert De Broglie around the permacole micro-farm of La Bourdaisière (near Tours). It then joined the SOS Group, European leader in social and solidarity economy, in 2016. Today, with 16 employees, Fermes d'Avenir supports agricultural and food projects of all sizes from Normandy to Isère via Bordeaux and Metz.
The Little Extra
The association is multiplying partnerships, seeking to put as many actors as possible around the table: the agro-ecological transition is everyone's business. The uniqueness of Fermes d'Avenir allows it to communicate with the leaders of agricultural projects, activists but also local authorities, large food and distribution companies without denying its values: agro-ecology is THE only and unique solution to feed the world and must be applied everywhere.
Written by Bertrand Noiret, LFC volunteer - November 2018.
Last modification : 13 Apr 2020.