In “Essentielles” – a documentary produced by InTent in collaboration with the Givaudan Foundation – we explore the small yet fascinating world of lavender, an emblematic fragrance ingredient of the cosmetic industry.
Climate change paired with recent regulations and restrictions in farming practices are challenging many daily lives, among them those of lavender producers in Provence who are struggling to make ends meet. In this context, some farmers are implementing nature-based solutions, leveraging nature-inspired ecosystems to increase their crops resilience. Patrice is one of them. He’s been experimenting with cover crops and crop canopies long before regulations pushed him to do so.
In the challenging income situation that small farmers face, such experimentation represent a huge risk. Patrice could afford to take it thanks to a thanks to a multi-year contract with Givaudan, guaranteeing him income on the long-run. Indeed, such long-term contracts allow producers to test and implement other practices with mitigated risk.
Another key actor of this story of transformation is the CRIEPPAM: a collaborative research structure testing nature-based solutions for fragrance plants and crops. Their collaborative research with farmers, supported by a blend of public and private funds, provide perfume plants producers new tested practices to be implemented in the field.
In “Essentielles”, we witness a promising transformation at play in lavenders fields, made possible by a resilient network of collaborations between farmers, scientists and the perfume industry. A collective story of success is in the writing.
We hope these stories inspire you to share your own—because it’s through diversifying narratives that we can collectively shift our paradigms.