Animal traction in developed countries: The reappropriation of a past practice through agroecological transition

Maurice Miara (), Philippe Boudes (), Thierry Rabier and Mohamed Gafsi ()
Additional contact information
Maurice Miara: LISST - Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Solidarités, Sociétés, Territoires - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - UT2J - Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès - UT - Université de Toulouse - ENSFEA - École Nationale Supérieure de Formation de l'Enseignement Agricole de Toulouse-Auzeville - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INP - PURPAN - Ecole d'Ingénieurs de Purpan - Toulouse INP - Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) - UT - Université de Toulouse
Philippe Boudes: ESO - Espaces et Sociétés - UNICAEN - Université de Caen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - UM - Le Mans Université - UA - Université d'Angers - AGROCAMPUS OUEST - UR2 - Université de Rennes 2 - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - IGARUN - Institut de Géographie et d'Aménagement Régional de l'Université de Nantes - UN - Université de Nantes
Mohamed Gafsi: LISST - Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Solidarités, Sociétés, Territoires - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - UT2J - Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès - UT - Université de Toulouse - ENSFEA - École Nationale Supérieure de Formation de l'Enseignement Agricole de Toulouse-Auzeville - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INP - PURPAN - Ecole d'Ingénieurs de Purpan - Toulouse INP - Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) - UT - Université de Toulouse, ENSFEA - École Nationale Supérieure de Formation de l'Enseignement Agricole de Toulouse-Auzeville

Post-Print from HAL

Abstract: As part of the current agroecological transition, animal traction in agriculture is benefiting from an increased focus in developed countries. However, the practice is struggling to gain recognition from research, institutions and the agricultural profession. This article aims to analyze how animal traction is treated in developed countries, and to assess the extent to which it could be considered an agroecological practice. We analyze animal traction as a scientific object and a socio-professional movement. Our methodology is based on a review of scientific literature and an analysis of the French general press. The various studies show that animal traction has advantages in terms of energy, economics and agronomy. It tends to be developed by alternative movements and farmers motivated by a desire to redesign our food systems. Both scientific and press reviews show a renewed positive interest in animal traction. Although these reviews highlight its agroecological potential, the practice is facing difficulties in gaining recognition. The findings of this article are of obvious interest to rural development researchers and policy makers. They help the former to explore new issues in the return of animal traction, and the latter to better understand the development factors of this practice.

Keywords: Animal traction; draft animal; agroecology; alternative agriculture; repeasantization; literature review; press analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-04401449v1
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Published in Journal of Rural Studies, 2023, 103, pp.103124. ⟨10.1016/j.jrurstud.2023.103124⟩

Downloads: (external link)
https://shs.hal.science/halshs-04401449v1/document (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-04401449

DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2023.103124

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Post-Print from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().