On his 300-hectare farm in Indre-et-Loire, Christophe grows a variety of crops including wheat, oilseed rape, corn, peas, field beans and flax. What sets his farm apart, however, is his commitment to conservation farming, which he has been practising for over 10 years. The decision to stop ploughing the soil a quarter of a century ago presented some unique challenges, particularly with regard to water infiltration in the clay loam.
Lack of water is a recurring problem for Christophe and his farm: “Despite the drainage and irrigation systems in place, the atypical winters and dry summers sometimes make it difficult to access the water we need for our crops,” laments Christophe.
Meeting Best-a three years ago at an Innov-Agri trade fair was a decisive factor for him. This solution enabled him to carry out trials and compare with other methods. The results were encouraging, with an average yield increase of 12%. Christophe learnt from his mistakes and adjusted the management of the plant cover, which improved the results over time.
Encouraged by these successes, Christophe plans to use Best-a again this year, particularly on part of his maize crop. In this way, he hopes to maintain the performance and profitability of his farm.