Comparison of Governance Policies for Agroforestry Initiatives: Lessons Learned from France and Quebec

Abstract

This study explores the fundamental components and specificities of agroforestry policies in France and Quebec, with a particular focus on the regions of Brittany and Montérégie. It uses a mixed-methods approach, combining an in-depth literature review and 14 semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders, including research institutions, agricultural advisory organizations, independent experts, and regional public agencies engaged in agroforestry and environmental initiatives. The collected data were qualitatively analyzed using word frequency and co-occurrence techniques, based on Elinor Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework. The results reveal that in France, agroforestry benefits from a well-structured policy environment, centered on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Agroforestry Development Plan (PDA). The Breizh Bocage initiative is making a positive contribution to this, with more than 5000 km of hedges planted thanks to its localized governance model and direct community funding. In Quebec, agroforestry is also supported by various policies and programs such as Prime-Vert, with more than 2370 hedge planting projects completed. Despite its strengths, the French case, particularly the Breizh Bocage program, is limited by cumbersome administrative procedures. In both contexts, stakeholders emphasize the need to improve the transparency and efficiency of the program by simplifying administrative processes and harmonizing financial support mechanisms.