The integration of camelina and carinata into French agriculture presents both challenges and opportunities across various aspects, from cultural and technical factors to economic and environmental considerations. 

Cultural aspects 

The cultural aspect highlights the need for more engaged farmers and diversified agricultural practices. A lack of information about these crops further limits adoption. However, their potential integration into the biodiesel and biofuel market offers a significant opportunity to enhance sustainable energy production. 

Technical aspects 

From a technical perspective, challenges include the necessity for innovative equipment and adapted farming practices. Crop performance is highly dependent on climate conditions, making yields unpredictable. On the other hand, camelina and carinata require low inputs and can thrive on marginal or even contaminated lands, making them valuable options for sustainable farming. 

Economic aspects 

Economic barriers include high costs associated with acquiring new knowledge and implementing new farming techniques, as well as limited storage infrastructure for large-scale adoption. Despite these challenges, the crops offer promising economic benefits, including increased competitiveness, access to new markets, crop diversification, and opportunities within the growing biofuel sector, particularly in aviation and marine industries. 

Environmental aspects 

Environmental factors also play a critical role. Risks such as emergence failure due to low rainfall or excessive straw in summer cash crops pose concerns, as do potential negative interactions in intercropping systems. However, the crops demonstrate resistance to pests and diseases, drought tolerance, and low input requirements, making them well-suited for sustainable agricultural systems. 

Governance aspects 

Governance challenges include strict carbon sequestration requirements and the fact that camelina is not currently eligible for biofuel production if grown as a main crop or intercrop under the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). Nevertheless, both crops align with multiple EU policy objectives, opening pathways for regulatory support. 

Structural aspects 

Finally, structural barriers such as the underdeveloped value chains for camelina and carinata need to be addressed. Yet, their expansion into emerging markets, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and biodiesel, presents an opportunity for significant growth. 

By overcoming these challenges and capitalizing on existing opportunities, camelina and carinata have the potential to become key players in France’s transition to more sustainable and resilient agricultural practices.