Cows in the city. How can the development of a micro agricultural sector contribute to the living environment in an urban environment? Application to the "Vache Nantaise" cattle breed

The increasing use of life cycle analysis (LCA) methods in order to estimate environmental and social impacts of food products enhances a better understanding of how agricultural production systems contribute to their territories’ environmental and social quality in a positive or negative way. However, the contribution of agriculture to landscape quality and living environment within these territories is never included although some agricultural practices, such as urban pastures, may generate significant landscape amenities that may be valued by locals. From a series of surveys within the Nantes Métropole territory and relying on the study-case of the Vache nantaise, we provide a set of indicators to measure the living environment dimension into future impact analysis. We show how the development of a local urban meat branch involving pastures may contribute to the living environment through inhabitants’ experience, branch sustainability and territorial sustainability.