Safeguarding a local breed of pig through the Noir de Bigorre value chain

Although French pork production is considered to be relatively homogeneous, a range of products from alternative breeding systems including, among others, official quality labels, has been developed. The example of the Noir de Bigorre chain, based on the preservation and promotion of the Gascon pig breed, can shed light on the development of an initiative whose principles largely correspond with the elements of agroecology proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). When interviewed about their organisation, the representatives of this pork chain and a processing partner largely identified with these different dimensions of agroecology. The founding principle shared by all is that of human and social values and although based on the enhancement of ancestral practices, the success of this chain is based on numerous technical and organisational innovations