R2D2: innovating to improve the resilience of rapeseed crops in Burgundy

Could agroecology provide an effective and sustainable means of controlling insect pests that are becoming increasingly resistant to insecticides? This is what the 11 Burgundy farmers participating in the R2D2 experiment are trying to demonstrate. An initiative launched by Terres Inovia, this project has been supported since 2018 by Lesieur.

There will be no interstellar travel on the agenda of the R2D2 project, but rather a human and scientific adventure that is just as exciting! R2D2 stands for “Restoring natural pest control and increasing the resilience of cropping systems on the Burgundy plateau for a sustainable reduction in insecticide dependence”. This project aims at reducing the devastating impacts of insect pests on local rapeseed crops. These pests, including winter flea beetles, terminal bud weevils, and meligethes, are becoming increasingly resistant to both insecticides and the insects that prevent their development.

Supporting farmers in the field
 The R2D2 project is working with 11 farmers cultivating 1,330 ha located close to the town of Courson-Les-Carrières (89) to test non-chemical techniques designed to improve crop resistance. “This unique initiative focuses on biodiversity, a key issue that is every bit as important as climate change, although it receives less media coverage and is more complex to understand”, explains Olivier Hantz, CSR Manager at Lesieur.

In the field, a number of solutions are being deployed: diversifying crop rotation, combining species and varieties, staggering sowing dates, and setting up perennial agro-ecological infrastructures with flower strips, grass strips, and so forth. All of these measures are the result of concerted research between experts and farmers, with the aim of increasing the resilience of their farms while reducing their dependence on insecticides. “Through this project, Lesieur encourages research into more sustainable farming techniques that can then be applied to enrich the specifications of the sector“, adds Olivier Hantz.

Sustainable, long-lasting solutions

R2D2 pursues a dual objective: demonstrating the usefulness of agronomic drivers to stimulate biodiversity and improve crops, and disseminating this know-how to the entire rapeseed sector.
The strategy adopted consists in implementing the principles of agroecology in a concerted manner among the farmers involved. The strategy is based on two complementary pillars:

• Seeking a natural balance by promoting the populations of beneficial insects present in the environment and
• Identifying the most effective cultivation methods to strengthen the hardiness of crops.

The project also features individual technical support for farmers facilitated by Terres Inovia, paving the way for collective reflection on the territory. In 2022, Lesieur renewed its financial support for the project, amounting to €15,000 per year for three years. “Lesieur also brings its own dynamism and network to increase the visibility of this project“, adds Olivier Hantz. This financing will allow for the creation of a test area for six crops as well as agroecological infrastructure to experiment with solutions, observe their effectiveness, and identify the best conditions for their widespread use!