BIOECONOMIC MODELLING: IS THERE ROOM FOR SEAMLESS INTERDISCIPLINARITY ?

François Affholder (1) , Damien Jourdain (2) , Eric Scopel (1) , Véronique Alary (3)

1 UPR SCA - Systèmes de Cultures Annuelles
2 UMR G-EAU - Gestion de l'Eau, Acteurs, Usages
3 UPR Systèmes d'élevage - Systèmes d'élevage et produits animaux

From a set of 3 actual case-studies involving bioeconomic farm modelling, the objective of the paper is to draw lessons regarding the challenge of interdisciplinarity between biophysical and social science. The results of the case studies illustrate the benefit that can be expected from these bioeconomic studies. The paper then builds on these experiences in order to discuss issues arising from interdisciplinarity. Some of these issues can be overcome relatively simply by paying attention to the construction of mutual respect and trust within the team of scientists, or more generally by recognizing that if it is more difficult, then more means and more time should be devoted the job. But interdisciplinarity may bring issues of power that are more subtle to handle, although theoretical frameworks are available for doing so. Anyway, pretending to achieve interdisciplinary studies seamlessly, just thanks to the use of the right tools and human resources would most probably result in numerous scars at least in the memories of the participants.

Mots clés: Farming systems; cropping systems; multidisciplinarity

Domaines: Agriculture, économie et politique

François Affholder, Damien Jourdain, Eric Scopel, Véronique Alary. BIOECONOMIC MODELLING: IS THERE ROOM FOR SEAMLESS INTERDISCIPLINARITY ?. ISDA 2010, Jun 2010, Montpellier, France. 11 p. ⟨hal-00520141⟩