The Ecodéveloppement unit of INRAE focusses its studies on the conditions for a transition of agriculture and rural territories towards a sustainable ecologisation, considering a diversity of agricultural models and agri-food systems. It analyses the determinants of the evolutions of agriculture in relation to the integration of environmental goals, at several scales, systems, farms and territories. It also develops participatory methods to accompany actors of agricultural systems in these agroecological transitions. The productions systems support for these studies are mainly horticultural systems, vegetable production (including protected cultivation), fruit production, diversified systems (vegetable + fruits, animal + fruits). At territory scale, the focus is on agrifood systems reconnecting consumers and producers (CSA, farmer’s shops…). The unit also develops a historical, critical and international study on the emergence and evolution of the agrocecological paradigms.

The Ecodéveloppement unit, located on INRAE-PACA St Paul campus, belongs to the INRAE division ACT (Science for Action and Territories). With a staff of about 20 permanents and about 10 PhD students and contract workers, it gathers researchers from different disciplines in social sciences (economics, anthropology, sociology) and biotechnical and natural sciences (systemic agronomy and animal husbandry, ecology).