Insect farming
They don’t bite, promise!As a pioneer in integrated organic protection, Savéol remains the only market gardening cooperative in Europe to have its own insect farming called ‘Savéol Nature’.
ORGANIC PROTECTION INSIDE
This approach came about when producers realised they no longer wanted to treat their tomatoes. Following extensive research into the various parasites that can disturb or even destroy crops, the PBI emerged as the natural priority for the cooperative. This is how, in 1983, the GIE La Croix was founded; thirty years later, in 2013, it would be renamed Savéol Nature. Savéol was thus the first cooperative to set out on the PBI pathway.
Insect farming
This technique profoundly changes the way market gardeners grow their crops and gave rise to two types of insect breeding techniques:
Pollinating insects that enable tomato and strawberry buds to reproduce,
Auxiliary insects that naturally fight pests, replacing chemical products, with a view to preserving the environment, health and quality of harvests.
The producers deploy the technique in all greenhouses, thanks to a team of high-level specialised technicians. Integrated insect farming truly benefits the cooperative, enabling high responsiveness and better insect quality. Each year, nearly 100 million auxiliary insects are bred in a 6,500 m2 space dedicated solely to them.
TWO DISTINCT SPACES COEXIST:
- A space for research and development
Taking the path of PBI requires an acute eye for observing plants and their environment. That “green know-how” has been enriched by Savéol Nature's teams over the years, through research and experimentation programmes, to optimise crop management and see to product food safety.
An educational area : The Insect Farm
Savéol Nature offers the general public, schools, associations and companies guided tours of its insect farming operation. That first-hand experience and sharing with our growers raises awareness for the long term and exemplifies the genuine search for transparency on the part of the cooperative.
