Autonomy

Technical articles

In a context of market volatility, climate disruption, and dependence on external inputs, farm autonomy has become a strategic issue. Being autonomous means reducing dependence on external resources — whether technical, economic, or energetic — to gain resilience, sustainability, and profitability. There are several forms of autonomy, each corresponding to a key production lever.

Protein autonomy

The ability of a farm to cover its needs in plant proteins for animal feed without resorting to external purchases (such as imported soy).

Challenges:

• Reduce dependence on South American soy.
• Decrease animal feed costs.
• Promote more sustainable systems (lower carbon footprint).

Means of action:

• Introduce forage legumes (alfalfa, clover, bird's-foot trefoil) into pastures.
• Grow protein crops (peas, faba beans, lupin).
• Optimize feed rations based on farm production.

Nitrogen autonomy

The farm's ability to cover its nitrogen needs (a key fertilization element) without using synthetic mineral nitrogen fertilizers.

Challenges:

• Reduce fertilizer costs (subject to energy prices).
• Limit environmental impacts (nitrates, GHG emissions).
• Preserve soil fertility.

Means of action:

• Integration of nitrogen-fixing legumes.
• Valorization of manure and slurry.
• Implementation of catch crops (CIPAN).
• Reasoned and controlled fertilization.

Seed autonomy

Ability to produce, select, and reuse one's own seeds or seedlings, avoiding annual purchases from external suppliers.

Challenges:

• Reduce seed costs.
• Adapt varieties to local conditions.
• Preserve a form of peasant sovereignty.

Means of action:

• Harvesting and sorting farm seeds.
• Exchanges or collective production (farm seeds, GIEE, CETA...).
• Selection of population varieties adapted to the terroir.

Energy autonomy

Reduction of dependence on fossil energies (diesel, grid electricity) in agricultural processes.

Challenges:

• Reduce energy-related costs.
• Decrease the farm's carbon footprint.
• Anticipate resource scarcity or price increases.

Means of action:

• Biogas from methanization.
• Installation of solar panels or wind turbines.
• Reduced tillage (conservation agriculture).
• Logistic organization (limit trips, optimize operations).

Water autonomy

Ability to manage water locally, without excessive dependence on external resources (networks, collective reservoirs...).

Challenges:

• Secure production in case of drought.
• Reduce usage conflicts.
• Adapt the farm to climate change.

Means of action:

• Individual water storage (ponds, tanks).
• Irrigation optimization (drip irrigation, probes).
• Improvement of soil structure for water retention.

Economic autonomy

Ability to earn a living from one's activity without over-indebtedness or excessive dependence on subsidies or volatile markets.

Challenges:

• Farm sustainability.
• Freedom in technical and strategic choices.

Means of action:

• Diversification of productions and outlets.
• Processing and direct sales.
• Reduction of fixed and variable costs.
• Equipment pooling (CUMA, mutual aid).

A global and systemic approach

These autonomies are not independent: they interact. For example, introducing legumes for nitrogen autonomy also contributes to protein autonomy. The goal is to consider the production system as a whole, promoting circularity and efficiency.

Summary

Type of autonomy	Main objective	Key means
Protein	Feed animals without external purchase	Legumes, balanced rations
Nitrogen	Do without synthetic mineral nitrogen fertilizers	Legumes, effluents, CIPAN
Seed	Produce own seeds	Harvest, selection, exchanges
Energy	Reduce dependence on fossil energies	Renewable energies, work organization
Water	Secure irrigation autonomously	Storage, optimized irrigation
Economic	Earn a living without dependence on subsidies or debts	Diversification, processing, cost reduction