Cross-sectional analysis of agrifood value chain initiatives: Various innovation dynamics related to their commitment to agroecology

Plant and animal supply chains may choose to reinforce or adopt agroecological principles in various ways. Twenty-eight case studies on initiatives claiming to differentiate themselves through practices related to agroecological principles have been analysed across different fields of production. The analytical framework used is based on the innovation functions implemented by value chains. The different actions taken within the value chains are analysed relatively to their capacity to feed into a process of collective learning in the transition towards agroecology. The presented results show a variable transformative capacity of the value chains, but we observed several regularities based on which the agroecological transition in France may take place. This article makes suggestions regarding collective actions that can support the agroecological transition in France.