Designing and evaluating livestock farming systems that promote biodiversity: example of a student project

The article presents a project carried out at Institut Agro Rennes Angers for agronomy engineering students and second-year master's students specialising in animal production. The 24-hour pedagogical framework aimed at designing resilient and acceptable livestock systems that promote biodiversity. The objective was to develop skills in systemic analysis and multi-criteria assessment through collaborative work. The students used LEGO® to model livestock systems and evaluate transformation scenarios for a mixed farming operation in the Rennes region. Two scenarios were proposed and assessed using a grid created by the students. The results show that the scenarios strengthen the connection between society and biodiversity. Feedback from teachers highlights the importance of project-based learning and the need to adapt teaching to students' profiles.