IMALP - Implementation of Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in alpine

The objective of IMALP was to implement and assess collective actions aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development in the Alps. IMALP has set up an experiment in which a group of local stakeholders (farmers, elected officials and NGO members) has designed and implemented a consistent set of actions targeted at the promotion of sustainable agriculture.

Four pilot areas located in the Alpine arc were involved: Moyenne-Tarentaise, France, Val d’Hérens, Switzerland; Murau, Austria and Val di Sole, Italy (see their presentation in the table below). In each area, after the definition of a coherent project, four to eight actions managed by an action group were implemented over a period of three years. This experience has been assessed by an interdisciplinary team associating agronomists, economists, sociologists and geographers. The objective is to scientifically assess the two main dimensions of the project:

• Collective implementation of action plans to promote sustainability;
• Development of agricultural sustainability on farms over a period of three years.

In terms of demonstration, not all IMALP actions have reached a successful stage with a complete group autonomy. On nineteen actions initiated at the beginning, four actions were abandoned at an early stage (e.g.: analysis of work organisation, recovering of old apple orchards). One action on communication ended up after successful realisations. We can consider that 14 actions have reached a certain autonomy and will continue at a certain extent. Five actions will continue in the field of the associations created during the IMALP project (e.g.: agri-tourism, Hérens meat cattle chain). Projects about diversification and educational activities on farm, agri-tourism activities, cooperative for local services were in particular successful. Six actions will continue in another institutional frame or in other projects.

• See all the action plans and their results (pdf file - 255ko)

The scientific results and publications are presented in another page.

The main outputs are :

An handbook with practical advice to implement collective action at the local level: “Guidelines for promoting sustainable agriculture in Alpine mountain regions. Insights into handling social dynamics in project management”.

Policy recommendations in the field of agriculture and rural development.

An Alpine memorandum : an international initiative of four local groups.