The French government is hoping to cut pesticide use by the nation’s farmers by up to 50% by 2030 with a new action plan. 

On 6th May, the French government rolled out its new Écophyto 2030 strategy.

It takes a tough stance on herbicide, insecticide and fungicide use in the domestic agriculture sector, with the plans setting out a roadmap to a future where biodiversity and human health is better protected.  

One key aspect of the strategy is the government’s commitment to supporting research into viable alternatives for farmers, with the promise that there will be “no ban [on pesticides] without a solution”.  

“To give credibility to [this], we are putting historic resources of €250 million in 2024 into the search for alternatives,” says Marc Fesneau, France’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty. 

Another mission of the Écophyto 2030 plans is to boost training in the sector in a bid to drive innovation and better governance.  

 “We owe it to our agricultural industry and farmers to achieve a just and sustainable ecological transition,” says Sylvie Retailleau, Minister of Higher Education and Research.

 France has been making efforts to cut its reliance on pesticides under various forms of the Écophyto strategy since 2008.  

According to government sources, “For the first time since 2009, there has been a drop in the use of synthetic plant protection products, with a reduction of 20% in 2022 compared to the 2015-2017 average.” 

The unveiling of Écophyto 2030 comes just weeks after Fesneau launched the national Ambition Bio 2027 project to stimulate demand for organic produce in France and better support domestic producers looking to make the transition to more ecological methods of production. Under Ambition Bio 2027, the government hopes to achieve the objective of converting 18% of France’s farmland into organic agriculture in the next three years.  

Read related:

Ambition Bio 2027: France’s plan to encourage more people to buy organic produce

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