Agroecology and water: how are they integrated into the Territorial Food Project of the Carcassonne agglomeration area?

Since 2014, France has legally recognised Territorial Food Projects (TFPs) as a framework to engage food system (FS) stakeholders, foster the development of territorial food chains, and strengthen the establishment of more resilient FS in response to climate change. The growing urgency of challenges such as water scarcity underscores the need for FSs that can adapt to these pressures. This study examines whether TFPs contribute to the agroecological (AE) transition, with a particular focus on water management, using the case study of the Carcassonne agglomeration. Two key documents of the selected TFP - the diagnosis and the action plan - were analysed, and the initiatives and actions were categorised according to the 13 AE principles defined by HLPE (2019). An AE score was subsequently calculated. The results indicate that initiatives and actions addressed all 13 AE principles, achieving medium-to-high AE scores for both documents, thereby demonstrating a clear engagement in AE transition. Additionally, some measures emphasised an attention to preserving water. The diagnosis report primarily concentrated on water quality, particularly through the reduction of phytosanitary products. Meanwhile, the action plan focused on water quantity through the establishment of water reservoirs that can store water for agricultural purposes. Overall, the Carcassonne TFP acknowledges the significance of water resource protection and reveals emerging connections between AE transition and water management at the territorial level.