In response to the VITISAFE call for projects, the EPICENE team at the BPH has received funding from the Ecophyto plan to be part of a multidisciplinary project.
Based on a ‘One Health’ approach, they will be working on the links between pesticides and global health in wine-growing areas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wine-growing regions are exposed to intensive use of pesticides, with potential repercussions for the environment and health.
Through long-term research, the VITISAFE project (Impacts des pratiques VITIcoles sur la SAnté humaine, la biodiversité et le Fonctionnement des Ecosystèmes) aims to assess the impact of pesticides at different spatial and temporal scales, by examining environmental contamination, wildlife health, the functioning of communities essential to agro-ecosystems, and the health of winegrowers. The results will provide public authorities with crucial information on the links between pesticide use and global health in these regions.

 

 

 

 

 

This project is based on various hypotheses:

 

• • • • • the landscape context and the wine-growing history of the landscapes determine the level of pesticide contamination in the various environments

• • • • • there are correlations between the levels of contamination of sentinel species and humans, as well as between the health of wildlife and human health

• • • • • the impact of pesticides is modulated by the heterogeneity of the landscape and particularly by the quantity of semi-natural habitats, which limit the impact on wildlife and human health

• • • • • the development of alternative practices on a large scale benefits wildlife health, biodiversity, the functioning of agrosystems and human health.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On this basis, the aim of the VITISAFE project is to analyse the impact of pesticides in four complementary aspects:

 

1) evaluation of environmental contamination levels

2) analysis of the state of health of sentinel species

3) description of the structure and functioning of different communities of organisms

4) analysis of certain aspects of human health. This research involves a multi-disciplinary consortium of researchers in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region and is based on a unique long-term research facility in a region dominated by wine-growing, the BACCHUS workshop site. The issues involved in reducing the use of pesticides will be at the heart of the discussions, with a view to informing public decision-making

 

 

 

The BACCHUS workshop site is dedicated to studying the agro-ecological transition of wine-growing regions. The studies carried out aim to identify the best strategies for these regions to respond to the major challenges they face, such as preserving biodiversity, adapting to climate change, ensuring the economic viability of farms, and protecting the health of citizens and ecosystems. This interdisciplinary work is being carried out in the field using an action research approach, in direct collaboration with the various local actors.

 

 

Funding for this project comes from the Ecophyto plan. The various objectives of this plan include preventing and reducing the use of pesticides, supporting research and innovation, and helping farmers make the transition.

 

 

 

 

 

www.siteatelier-bacchus.com

 

isabelle.baldi@u-bordeaux.fr