After being selected based on their applications, project leaders are welcomed for a period of 1 to 3 years on a nearly 7,000 m² site. This space allows them to test their projects under real conditions, even if they do not come from an agricultural background, before setting up and developing their activity.
On-site, participants have access to land managed under organic farming, greenhouse and open-field areas, as well as shared agricultural equipment. Cooperation with entities such as the agricultural high school and Pays en graine is considered essential, as highlighted by Gaëtan Brizard, delegate councilor for food for Le Grand Périgueux.
The support is provided by the CAAP 24 network, which brings together six organizations committed to organic, peasant, and local agriculture: Terre de lien, Pays en Graine, Maison des Paysans, Agrobio Périgord, Manger Bio Périgord, and Nourrir l’avenir. This support covers technical, legal, and entrepreneurial aspects.
Charlotte Genet, territorial development officer at Pays et Quartiers de Nouvelle-Aquitaine, notes that by 2030, 50% of active farmers will retire, emphasizing the importance of these establishment programs.
Since its creation, the test space has enabled seven project leaders to establish themselves sustainably and has helped others avoid debt, thus fulfilling its role whether the project ultimately succeeds or not.
“"The major added value of the test space was getting a foot in the door with the local organic farmers' network; the real expertise lies there"
Two examples illustrate the project's success: Émilie Espagne settled in Chancelade in 2025 with her nursery "Bourgeons et drageons" after 3 years in the test space. Antoine Soullard, established on the Chercuzac plain in Chancelade in 2018, co-founded the Ferme des Tistous for organic market gardening, complemented since 2020 by sourdough bread baked in a wood-fired oven. His experience in the test space allowed him to join the local organic farmers' network.
Antoine Soullard's experimentation led to a sustainable installation in 2021 with the signing of an agricultural lease with Le Grand Périgueux, which sold the land to the company in 2025. These journeys have helped participants understand the functioning of an agricultural test space and the importance of cooperation.
