Strategy

Support strategy for the agricultural and agri‑food sectors

In its Societal Project, Crédit Agricole Group reaffirms its commitment to “Make a success of the agricultural and agri-food transitions”, by engaging with agricultural sectors and public authorities to strengthen food sovereignty, while supporting farmers in the shift towards sustainability and helping to ease the generational transition.

“There are multiple challenges in the agricultural ecosystem in France: adaptation to climate change, food and energy sovereignty, generational transition, as well as the preservation of natural resources."

Guide the financing and investments based on five areas and fifteen drivers representing the priority issues of the “Agricultural and Food Transitions Foundation”

Promote the attractiveness of the farming profession

  • Improve the quality of life of farmers
    Compensation, better distribution of value etc.
  • Support the generational transition in agriculture
    Set-up, access to land etc.

Contribute to the transition to low-carbon food

  • Mitigate climate impacts
    Decarbonisation pathways, carbon sequestration etc.
  • Adapt to climate change
    Diversification of cultivated varieties and species, development of resistant varieties etc.
  • Support customers’ renewable energy production projects

Preserve natural resources

  • Preserve biodiversity
    Biocontrol, agro-ecological infrastructure, combating deforestation etc.
  • Preserve soils
    Regenerative agriculture, fertilisation, ground cover etc.
  • Preserve water resources
    Precision irrigation, reduction of water pollution, storage etc.
  • Protect animal welfare

Change our consumption patterns

  • Manage risks in the supply chain
    Sustainable supply chains, traceability – blockchain etc.
  • Protect consumers’ health
    Health security, simplification of prescriptions etc.
  • Improve transparency
    Labelling, communication etc.

Produce via a circular economy

  • Develop direct distribution
  • Reduce food waste
  • Reduce packaging impacts
    Bulk goods, instructions etc.

Enable French agriculture to contribute actively to the fight against climate change

The agricultural sector represents 19% of greenhouse gases in France1, but it also contributes to the storage of CO2 and therefore to climate change mitigation. The national low-carbon strategy sets two targets for French agriculture: reduce emissions by 18% by 2030 (-46% by 2050) 2 and increase soil storage capacity. In connection with its Net Zero 2050 commitments, Crédit Agricole commits to supporting the agricultural world in its decarbonisation process by supporting the roadmaps established by the industry and the sectors at the national and operational level.

Initiate dialogue on the challenges and issues for agriculture: by discussions with sector players to assess their maturity on transition subjects through a customer questionnaire, by assisting them in their processes via solutions and dedicated tools, by developing new offerings to promote renewable energy at the operational level (methanisation, solar etc.).

Structure the agricultural voluntary carbon sector in France: the Group is mobilising via the “Low-carbon Label” mechanism3 and the roll-out of Carbioz, a platform for exchange of voluntary carbon credits from French agricultural and forestry projects. This platform, designed and operated with France Carbone Agri 4, brings together corporates or communities engaged in decarbonisation that want to contribute to global neutrality with farmers by supporting “Low-carbon label” projects.

Trajectoires Agri (Agricultural pathways)

Trajectoires Agri is a tool for dialogue between farmer customers and their advisor, which includes the “Transitions Agri” questionnaire. This tool aims to provide a better knowledge and understanding of the agricultural customer and to guide them with regard to their financial situation and transition strategy to support them in the long term. It increases customers’ awareness and assists them on the issues of energy transition, climate risks and the reduction/sequestration of greenhouse gases.

1 CITEPA-SECTEN; 22% at the global level (IPCC 2022).
2 SNBC 2 published in 2020. The targets indicated use 2015 as the baseline year.
3 Low-carbon level label: a climate certification tool adopted by France which certifies GHG emission reduction and carbon sequestration projects.
4 France Carbone Agri is the agent for Low-carbon label agricultural projects.

Offer concrete solutions to assist the agricultural and agri-food sectors

  • Coup de pouce PTZ Agri-Viti loan offering: a zero rate loan to support the establishment of a new generation of farmers.
  • Financing offer in the service of farmers in the Potato sector who want to participate in a regenerative agricultural process. This “transition package” is deployed by four Regional Banks in partnership with one industrial firm.
  • “Green Solutions” low-carbon offers in leasing, offered by Crédit Agricole Leasing & Factoring to finance energy transition equipment for farmers who want to reduce their energy bill and their carbon footprint and anticipate environmental regulations.
  • Agilor Transition offering: preferential-rate financing of “transition” equipment (equipment that supports a sustainable farming practice, low-emission wheeled equipment, equipment to prevent climate hazards).
  • Support for the crop insurance reform that came into effect in 2023 through the active participation of Crédit Agricole Assurances in the working and study groups with the Ministry of Agriculture, professional organisations and other insurers.

Support the evolution of techniques towards a competitive and sustainable agri-food system

In the context of its Societal Project, Crédit Agricole Group allocated a package of €1 billion through four investment and financing instruments (capital innovation, debt etc.) intended for the development of a competitive and sustainable farming and food system. The investment rationale that guides the financing and investment decisions was built on the basis of the “Agricultural and Food Transitions Foundation”.

€1 billion investment fund

To allocate an investment package of one €1 billion to support the farming and agri-food transitions, Crédit Agricole structured three investment funds launched in 2023: an investment capital fund of €300 million with IDIA (Ambition Agri-Agro Investissement fund), a private debt fund of €140 million with Amundi (target: €750 million) and an innovation capital fund of €60 million (target: €100 million) with Supernova Invest.