Unveiling on-farm anaerobic digestion systems diversity: A typology analysis of Northern French farms

• A novel typology of on-farm AD systems was built using FAMD and HCPC analysis • Six distinct farm-AD profiles were identified based on structural and strategic characteristics • Biogas use and digestate management differ by farm size and substrate sourcing. • On-farm AD systems drive changes in cropping systems, labor, and fertilizing practices. • On-farm AD systems shape cooperation, community ties, and revenue diversification On-farm anaerobic digestion (AD) has emerged in France as a pivotal strategy to align agricultural production with energy transition, converting livestock effluents, crop residues, and agro-industrial byproducts into biogas and digestate. Strategic farm-level choices, such as biomass sourcing through territorial cooperation or modifications to cropping systems, further shaped post-AD agricultural profiles. Understanding how farming systems change after AD implementation is therefore critical. This study thus aimed to develop a holistic typology of on-farm anaerobic digestion systems in the Hauts-de-France region (France). Field surveys (40 AD units) and multivariate analyses (Factorial Analysis of Mixed Data (FAMD) followed by Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components (HCPC)) were used to assess structural and operational characteristics. Results revealed five distinct farm system clusters integrating AD. These groups are separated broadly into small-scale systems prioritizing manure management as the main input for AD process, and into larger, biomethane-oriented units heavily reliant on external substrates and energy crops. Clusters differed by scale in operating strategy, economics, digestate management, and key constraints (infrastructure, social acceptance). These findings provide an informative approach for analyzing the complex interactions within diverse on-farm AD systems. Additionally, they show that effective support and optimization strategies for AD must be adapted to specific farm system characteristics and their integrated operational and strategic choices, offering insights applicable to similar agricultural contexts.