The biodiesel produced by farmers at a local scale using a traditional procedure: what kind of territorial construction for an agro-environmental project in social economy?

Recently, in France, some farmers have decided to develop traditional farm biofuels, through the production of pure oleaginous oil. This production requires the acquisition of small colza and sunflower oil presses, which gives rise to the pooling of resources between farmers in local cooperatives (the CUMA). This type of structure reveals a will to privilege agricultural autonomy rather than increasing production. It plays a large part in social economy or non profit projects. This local and traditional procedure, largely disconnected from the industrial oilseed rape production, is carried out, in the north west of France, by cattle breeders who try to produce their own farm oilcakes and save energy. There is no need to devote much land to the production of colza to reach their objectives and they are not in competition with the biofuel industry. These local projects are based on the principles of co-construction between the farmers, the CUMA movement and the agricultural organizations and institutions. We must define the reality and explore the significance of the co-construction process in these agro-environmental and territorial projects.