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Development of a multi-criteria evaluation of agroecological practices involving soil biodiversity, agronomic performance and farmer perception
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Edité par CCSD -
International audience. An experiment has been designed in the Highlands of Madagascar withthe aim to produce multi-criteria indicators of performance ofagroecological practices. In this experiment, different traditionaland innovative practices were tested in field conditions with theassumption that practices that enhance soil biodiversity and soilecological processes are the one that best promote plant production,yield and sustainability. Both ecological and agronomic performanceswere confronted with socio-economic performance defined by farmers inorder to propose innovative practices adoptable by farmers.A 2-year field experiment with 16 different practices, replicated 4times, was designed in the Highlands of Madagascar with upland riceas the main crop. Many soil and plant parameters were measured: 73parameters to describe soil biodiversity and soil ecologicalprocesses, 19 descriptors to measure rice production, nutrition andyield, and 8 socio-economic descriptors.This study led to the production of a useful indicator allowing toevaluate an agroecological practice on the way it promotes soil healthand especially soil biodiversity, crop yield and socio-economicalrequirements which are the main limits for practice adoption. Wemeasured interesting relations between soil ecological descriptorsand agronomic descriptors.