Les 2 Pieds Sur Terre

Dairy farming contributes to 6% of France’s greenhouse gas emissions. More than 90% of these emissions come from animals and farm inputs. As such, there is considerable need for creating awareness and supporting milk producers to improve farming practices.

Danone Ecosystem has joined forces with Danone Produits Frais France, Les prés rient bios, Idele (French Livestock Institute), and MiiMOSA (a crowdfunding website dedicated to agriculture and food) in order to implement Les 2 Pieds Sur Terre. The program consists of supporting French dairy farmers as they reduce their carbon footprints and improve soil health, while increasing their competitiveness and enhancing the image of agriculture among the general public.

The program covers the following dimensions:
- Measuring the carbon footprint of milk and creating awareness among farmers by conducting carbon diagnostics (1604 in march 2021).
- Supporting farmers in identifying concrete carbon reduction projects through further carbon diagnostics (351 in march 2021).
- Implementing a collaborative and digital crowdfunding solution to help finance those projects, then offering technical and financial support (149 farmers in march 2021).

With a range of technical partners, les 2 Pieds sur Terre also launches pilot projects (4 existing in 2020), involving groups of farmers who try out innovative practices regarding soil preservation, feed autonomy and pesticides reduction. The goal is to formalize results & keys for success in order to share them with the professional dairy network.

Beyond the significative benefits on soil health, carbon sequestration, the decrease in emissions and the better understanding farmers have of their levers of action, the program actually raises pride among farmers since 41% of interviewed producers say they are more eager to talk about their job and feel proud about it.

Under the photography, some of the project's ambitions.