La Ferme des Terres de Potelières is a 41-hectare estate located in the Cévennes region that was acquired in 2025 by the landholding company Agriterra Terres Vivantes with the aim of settling a young farmer and supporting the conversion of the estate to agroecological practices. The project addresses a critical challenge in agricultural land transmission, where access to farmland was no longer being ensured.
The operating model follows a consistent approach:
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Identifying an estate to be transferred and selecting a trained young farmer, with additional agroecology training provided when necessary through the Agriterra Academy, primarily at the Abbey of Gaussanet, Agriterra’s 60-hectare agroecological R&D and technical platform;
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Co-developing a takeover and agroecological conversion plan for the estate, including an initial phase of soil bioregeneration to restore soils that have often been depleted by 80 years of intensive farming;
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Acquiring the land through Agriterra Terres Vivantes and holding it for up to ten years under a 25-year environmental rural lease, combined with a promise of transfer to the young farmer, allowing time to demonstrate the long-term viability of the operation and thereby facilitate access to bank financing if desired;
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Supporting the farmer during the operational phase by becoming a co-shareholder in the operating company and assisting with investments in processing facilities to participate in innovative value chains that contribute to food sovereignty;
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Assisting in the implementation of a comprehensive RegenAgri impact strategy across the estate, both in strategic thinking and in investments, addressing biodiversity, soil health, regenerative hydrology, agrivoltaics, energy consumption management and renewable energy production, the development of a decarbonised production model and carbon sequestration, as well as the deployment of an integrated system for water management, recycling, and the valorisation of waste and effluents.
La Ferme des Terres de Potelières is a cereal-based farming operation using bioregenerative organic practices. It focuses on the production of cereals and legumes in line with agroecological principles.
From spring 2025 onwards, the farm sowed an intercropped mixture of peas, flax and lentils, harvested simultaneously and then sorted. This practice enables cultivation without chemical inputs or herbicides, while capturing carbon and nitrogen in the soil to sustain yields and regenerate soil health.
The partnership between Agriterra and MILPA, a consulting firm specialised in intercropping systems, enables the testing of crop mixtures and innovation in agricultural practices. The farm also works with the Graines Équitables cooperative, which provides commercial outlets within regional value chains in Occitanie. In autumn 2025, the farm plans to move to the next stage by sowing a mixture of heritage wheat varieties (Touzelle de Nîmes, Saissette de Provence, Barbu du Roussillon) combined with field peas, barley, lentils, and high-protein wheat with fava beans.