France launches innovative farming techniques

France's National Agronomical Research Institute (INRA) and vegetable producers in the country have launched a joint research program to develop environmental- friendly farming techniques.

Launched on Thursday, the Integrated Production and Cultivation of Vegetables program is mainly aimed at putting in place new cultivation systems through the use of open fields and cold rooms, which require fewer farm inputs to operate.

The new system will suggest alternatives to the employment of chemicals and define their strategic use in the framework of integrated vegetable production.

By ensuring that the use of chemicals is limited and selective and using products, which are both safe for human beings and the environment, the program is expected to boost the income of farmers by reducing the amount of resources used in the purchase of farm inputs.