they plan to create the farm of the third millennium in this village of Haute-Garonne

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The approach is civic. And has its origins in the projection last spring, in Caraman, of a conference ofArthur Kellerspecialist in the vulnerabilities of our societies to climate change and systemic risks. Since then, a collective of residents has gotten into the habit of meeting regularly with the aim oforganize territorial resilience at the local level. One of the main projects born from this reflection: the creation of a cooperative type structure in order to buy the land of a farmer of retirement age. And create on these plots what they do not hesitate to call “the farm of the third millennium”.

This farmer is Jerome Salles, which itself is an integral part of the project. Based on the Albiac road, in Caraman, he is at the head of 22 hectares of irrigated land where he developed agricultural activities with the common thread of preservation of biodiversity. The site also houses a lake classified fish enclosuremany plantationsbut also an archaeosite with cabins retracing the evolution of architecture and habitat from the Paleolithic to the year 1000 or even paleontological deposits 23 million years old.

A project centered around an agrivoltaic installation

The cornerstone of the project which must see the light of day is the realization of two photovoltaic greenhouses of one hectare each. “The operator takes full responsibility for the construction of the structure and is remunerated with the income it earns from energy production. There will be a greenhouse dedicated to market gardening and another which will look like an aviary thanks to the installation of nets in order to accommodate livestock. There will only be operating costs left to cover,” explains Jérôme Salles.

Inside these greenhouses, the collective wishes to install young farmers in small production units. Market gardening of course, but also some cerealsof the aromatic plantsof the sheep or even laying hens.

Other activities are also planned on the site. The members of the collective mention in particular beekeeping, rice growing, aquaponics or even hydroponie. In a completely different register, the installation of a blacksmith metalworker would also be in the pipeline, as would the reception of a animal shelter.

We want to engage in biodynamic agriculture with the cultivation of American hops which can be brewed locally, tall vines, mushrooms, ginger, aquaculture with crayfish or fish fed with vegetable proteins… It will be the typical farm of the third millennium, the model of which can then be reproduced throughout Occitania. We are part of a scientific research approach and a desire to preserve and rehabilitate ecosystems. We want to show that it is also possible to do something other than intensive corn or soybean cultivation. Rice growing in Lauragais for example, I firmly believe in it!

Transformation and short circuit sales

There is also a building on the farm that the collective wishes to use to accommodate a workshop for processing production from the farm and a kitchenbut also a place of sale to ensure short circuit outlets. “The objective is also to be present on the Caraman marketto feed the associative café Les Petits Graines which also closely follows the project, educational establishments of the municipality and all collective structures in the sector such as nursing homes », Specify the members of the collective.

“We want to create a local resilience around three main axes: nature, local economy and cultural and scientific», Explains Céline, one of the gray eminences of the collective. In this last area in particular, the group of citizens intends to rely in particular on the association Les Gardiens desroots which already brings the archaeosite to life, to develop other activities on site in addition to those it already organizes around astronomy, archeology and even music. Of the shared gardens should also see the light of day on the site.

A synergy with the Coucarels eco-friendly place

Among the artisans of this project, we also find Xavier Prothon. The latter created an eco-site a few years ago on the Grimondes site, located just a few hundred meters from Jérôme Salles' farm.

The farm The Coucarelsextends over an area of ​​3 hectares, with a building bringing together artisanal activities over 1,000 m². “Currently, there are eight people associated with the project with a brasserie , two market gardeners , a carpentry workshop, a planned bakery…The production is sold on the market and we are going to launch direct sales on the farm. I want to finish what was started here, but like Jérôme, I am starting to have this worry of thinking about the transmission of these lands within a few years“, he specifies. Establishing synergies between the two places therefore seemed obvious.

The two sites soon to be protected by an environmental charter

In connection with the cooperative society of collective interest Oasiswho supports them in the process, Jérôme Salles and Xavier Prothon will soon formalize their commitment in a legal system entitled “real environmental obligation”. This will allow them toensure the environmental protection of their lands for a period of 99 years.

The future owners of the premises will thus have the obligation to comply with the charter which will have been developed around specifications which will specify that these plots are reserved for local agriculture and activities linked to environmental preservation . “The objective being to maintain local control over land and what we do there, in particular through mixed participatory financing which could be open to all. We hope to have citizens who engage in the process, but why not also communities or other institutional structures,” underlines the collective.

A project that could see the light of day within two to four years

Currently, the group of residents is continuing its discussions to move the project forward. In particular, he is in the process of approaching the Chamber of Agriculture and the various professional or political bodies to properly put together the project before its completion and thus obtain the necessary authorizations for the installation of the two photovoltaic greenhouses. “It’s a project that we hope to see completed within two to four years” announce the members of the collective who are working in parallel on the choice of the legal structure best suited to carry out their plan to buy back the land of Jérôme Salles and then create this participatory agri-food place .

Furthermore, the members of the collective are launching an appeal to all people who wish to take part in the process. “ We need brains and strengthto properly structure the project before launching it and to possibly find funding, but also to people who wish to invest in the future structurewho will take possession of the land and of course young farmerswho will want to come and work on site. We know that this place can correspond toexpectations and desires of certain young farmers with an installation project», specifies the collective.

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