Analysis of the socio-economic and environmental sustainability of a network of zero-pesticide cropping systems (Rés0Pest) after 10 years of experimentation.

Reducing dependence on pesticides in agricultural systems is a priority due to their proven negative impacts on agroecosystems and human health. We present here the results of a ten years of experimental network (2013-2022), assessing the sustainability 1 of eight pesticide-free cropping systems in field and mixed cropping, in different pedoclimatic and socio-economic contexts in France. The contribution to sustainable development of the eight systems tested ranges from "medium to high" to "very high". Environmental sustainability is "very high" for all systems. Profitability varies widely from "very low" to "very high", in a context where no specific economic reward was considered for pesticide-free cropping systems preserving the environment and human health. No deterioration in the production capacity or sanitary quality of the crops was observed over the long term, and we show that it is possible to produce without pesticides if there is added value for harvest sold. These results confirm that crop diversification and cultivation practices are effective levers for ensuring the sustainability of cropping systems.