Thesis Defence by Lola Richelle

De la fertilité des sols à la santé de la terre

For several decades, cultivated soils have been degraded often due to the expansion of agro-industry neglecting soil biological activity and implementing chemical agents to improve fertility. The search for alternatives and the assessment of sustainable farming systems is thus of high priority. This thesis aimed at establishing a dialogue of peasant and scientific knowledge to maintain and improve the state of health of cultivated soils. This dialogue followed a collaborative, transdisciplinary methodology that facilitates the sharing of experiences. A collective learning process was realised with a group of farmers in the Córdoba region (Andalusia) between April 2013 and June 2016. It resulted in a qualitative method to evaluate soil health and the proposal of case-specific agricultural practices accompanied by a protocol to monitor medium and long term effects.

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Lola will present the results of her PhD thesis, conducted in the department of Geography under the supervision of Nicolas Dendoncker. (The presentation will be in French)