The Dynamics of the French Hemp System and Its Stakeholders

ABSTRACT In France the activities and knowledge concerning the hemp economic sector are historically regulated by an organization dedicated to the paper industry. However, the current context (saturation of the principal outlet and uncertainty regarding the maintenance of the European Union subsidies), makes it necessary to enhance the added value of the hemp crop by diversifying its outlets and by using the whole plant. Also, since the middle of the 1990's the stakeholders of the hemp milieu have important and varied expectations regarding possible new hemp markets, particularly in the fields of plastics processing and the building construction industry. On the basis of data collected during talks with the main stakeholders of the French hemp system, and based on various articles, publications, books, and the Internet, we will describe the organized French hemp system starting from the representation that the stakeholders of the hemp milieu themselves have given. We will begin our analysis with the organized character of this system. Then we will present the data which give information about its dynamics: first the surfaces used for the production and the levels of production, then the forms of organization of the transformation industry, and finally the structuring of research through the publications of patents and the commitment of research groups.