Territorial agri-environmental measures and inequality: some insights from the French case
Résumé
Given the challenge of prejudging whether contracting a MAEt - a territorial agri-environmental policy in France - constitutes an environmental effort on the part of the farmers, this study addresses questions of fairness raised by MAEt. Although the policy is focused on improving environment quality, there are consequences in terms of equity of access and the level of compensation obtained. The study employed statistics over the period of 2007-2013 to identify farms with access to MAEt and the associated inequalities. Contracting farmers are similar to those receiving other direct subsidies; thus, the same equity issues are addressed. However, monetary compensation does not appear to worsen income inequality between farmers. Finally, a focus on MAEt implementation in three regions highlights the key role of contrasted but persistent logics in the definition of priority areas, a hint at a possible lack of realignment of the MAEt scheme after 2013.