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Assessing farm sustainability with the IDEA method - from the concept of agriculture sustainability to case studies on farms

Author

Listed:
  • Frédéric Zahm

    (Cemagref, UR ADBXF-33612, Cestas Cedex, France)

  • Philippe Viaux

    (Arvalis, Boigneville, France)

  • Lionel Vilain

    (France Nature Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturel, Paris Cedex, France)

  • Philippe Girardin

    (INRA, UMR Agronomie-Environnement, Colmar Cedex, France)

  • Christian Mouchet

    (ENSAR, Laboratoire de Développement Rural, Rennes Cedex, France)

Abstract

The IDEA method ( Indicateurs de Durabilité des Exploitations Agricoles or Farm Sustainability Indicators) is based on research work conducted since 1998 and is one way of giving practical expression to the concept of sustainable farms. Based on 41 sustainability indicators covering the three dimensions of sustainability, this method is designed as a self-assessment tool not only for farmers but also for policy makers to support sustainable agriculture. The scientific approach is based on identifying three different scales of sustainability. The application of the IDEA method is illustrated using French case studies. Linking the IDEA method with the Farm Accounting Data Network is noted as an interesting possibility to assess the sustainability level of different farming systems. The conclusion is that there is not just one farm sustainability model, and therefore the indicators must be adapted to local farming before using the IDEA method. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Frédéric Zahm & Philippe Viaux & Lionel Vilain & Philippe Girardin & Christian Mouchet, 2008. "Assessing farm sustainability with the IDEA method - from the concept of agriculture sustainability to case studies on farms," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(4), pages 271-281.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:16:y:2008:i:4:p:271-281
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.380
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Hansen, J. W., 1996. "Is agricultural sustainability a useful concept?," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 117-143.
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    2. Ranjan Roy & Ngai Weng Chan, 2012. "An assessment of agricultural sustainability indicators in Bangladesh: review and synthesis," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 99-110, March.
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    14. Martin, Guillaume & Barth, Kerstin & Benoit, Marc & Brock, Christopher & Destruel, Marie & Dumont, Bertrand & Grillot, Myriam & Hübner, Severin & Magne, Marie-Angélina & Moerman, Marie & Mosnier, Clai, 2020. "Potential of multi-species livestock farming to improve the sustainability of livestock farms: A review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    15. Leonidas Sotirios Kyrgiakos & Georgios Kleftodimos & George Vlontzos & Panos M. Pardalos, 2023. "A systematic literature review of data envelopment analysis implementation in agriculture under the prism of sustainability," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 1-38, March.
    16. Jindrich Spicka & Tomas Hlavsa & Katerina Soukupova & Marie Stolbova, 2019. "Approaches to estimation the farm-level economic viability and sustainability in agriculture: A literature review," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 65(6), pages 289-297.
    17. Amer Ait Sidhoum & K Hervé Dakpo & Laure Latruffe, 2022. "Trade-offs between economic, environmental and social sustainability on farms using a latent class frontier efficiency model: Evidence for Spanish crop farms," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(1), pages 1-17, January.
    18. Vida Dabkiené, 2020. "Off-farm role in stabilizing disposable farm income: A Lithuanian case study," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 66(7), pages 325-334.
    19. Paula Trivino-Tarradas & Manuel R. Gomez-Ariza & Gottlieb Basch & Emilio J. Gonzalez-Sanchez, 2019. "Sustainability Assessment of Annual and Permanent Crops: The Inspia Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-21, January.
    20. Reidsma, Pytrik & Janssen, Sander & Jansen, Jacques & van Ittersum, Martin K., 2018. "On the development and use of farm models for policy impact assessment in the European Union – A review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 111-125.
    21. Katarína Novotná & Ľubomír Gurčík & Zuzana Lušňáková, 2023. "Economic determinants of the development and sustainability of family farms in Slovakia," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 69(7), pages 291-299.
    22. Christian Franco-Crespo & Otilia Vanessa Cordero-Ahiman & Jorge Leonardo Vanegas & Dario García, 2023. "Short Commercialization Circuits and Productive Development of Agroecological Farmers in the Rural Andean Area of Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-13, April.
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    24. Ogawa, Keishi & Garrod, Guy & Yagi, Hironori, 2023. "Sustainability strategies and stakeholder management for upland farming," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).

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