Fouillet, E., Bedoussac, L., Hamiti, N. et al. Exploring the logics of farmers’ equipment management for species mixtures: case studies from France. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 36 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#Intercrop #AgriculturalEquipment #Tinkering
Species mixtures are one of the levers for sustainable agriculture, as they can allow the reduction of environmental impacts while maintaining yields. Farmers face challenges in implementing them, however — notably technical difficulties and constraints related to cultivation and post-harvest sorting equipment. This study explores farmers’ agricultural equipment fleet management logics in the context of arable species mixture cultivation, a blind spot in the scientific literature. Our research methodology draws on the innovation tracking approach. Data were collected through interviews with 13 farmers cultivating species mixtures across France. We examined: (i) the characteristics and management of mixtures, as farmers consider them when selecting and using equipment, (ii) the technical features of the equipment used — including modifications and farmer-driven design, and (iii) farmers’ overall logic for managing their equipment fleets. The results reveal six categories of species mixtures, distinguished by their spatial arrangement and sowing depth, both closely linked to equipment use. Farmers use a wide diversity of equipment, often modified or repurposed to suit specific mixtures, such as seed drills adapted to sow different species at distinct depths. Three main management logics were identified among the interviewees: (i) minimizing costs through existing equipment reuse, (ii) adapting equipment to the biological characteristics of species mixtures, and (iii) making equipment choices based on local resources. Here we demonstrate how the management of agricultural equipment is a central lever for species mixture cultivation. This study offers new insights into equipment for agroecological farming practices, providing reflexive guidance for researchers, advisers, and equipment manufacturers involved in the transition toward more sustainable agriculture.