2.4 Pour une gestion durable de l'espace par l'agriculture et la sylviculture (Module 3)

This article will only try to understand the role of these cultural elements on the development and the maintenance of the agricultural activity. Describing the word « culture », the dictionary « Petit Robert » gives as one of its definitions : « a complex of forms of behaviour acquired Human Society ». Applying this to the Aosta Valley, I would describe it as a totality of behaviours deriving from a relationship, or rather from a communion, necessarily closely tied between nature (sometimes hostile), the animal (in particular the cow) and Man. Nature and the cow have made a deep mark on Man and he has developed and grown inside this mutual exchange, reciprocal influence and interaction. Interviews. The elements, or cultural values, dealt with in this article and largely based on the interviews made in the agricultural world are the following : - Passion for cows (« love » for cattle). - Love of the countryside. - Love for well performed work. - Feeling of freedom in farming. - Love and maintenance of family property. - Pride in presenting a high-quality product. - Family unity and cooperation. Another aspect of the interview included the origin or the transmission of these value. Where is the source of these values ? And at what moment and by whom have they been transmitted (family education, social environment, school) ? A third aspect of the interview considered the role of fairs or traditional gatherings in maintaining and developing these agricultural values. By fairs or traditional gatherings we mean : - « Combats de reines « (cow fighting). - Competitions of various types. - Grape festival, Apple festival. - Clubs or folklore groups. - Traditional games : « tzan », « fiolet », « re- batta ». The interview included questions on the financial profitability, public assistance and also propositions for agricultural policies. This interview was carried out on a test group of approximately forty people, obviously including cattle breeders (whether alpine pasturers or not), vine-growers, fruit-growers, keeping in mind the pluriactivity of these farmers. A small sample of 18/19 year-old students, the sons and daughters of farmers, was also chosen. Results : The results reveal the fundamental importance of cultural elements in the choice of farming as a profession. In most cases, the efficiency element is absolutely not sufficient in justifying farming as a vocation. The « passion » for cows, taste for work and well-farmed land, feeling of freedom, love and maintenance of the family property, pride in presenting a personal product and a high-quality product are prevailing. In transmitting these values, the family environment and, to a lesser extent, the social environment, assume capital importance. Partly in contradiction with our predictions, the traditional fairs are, for the farmer, important occasions for cultural exchange and a notable stimulus ; it would therefore be a great shame not to support them. Claude Duverney, Institut Agricole Regional, Aoste2.4 Pour une gestion durable de l'espace par l'agriculture et la sylviculture (Module 3). In: Revue de géographie alpine, tome 84, n°4, 1996. pp. 28-34