My name is Louis Lardière and I’m 20 years old. I’m from the Vendée department and I’m currently in my first year of an agricultural engineering course here at Bordeaux Sciences Agro, as an apprentice. My parents are farmers, so we have a 240-hectare farm where we have around 150 Blondes d’Aquitaine cows. Alongside this, we also grow a bit of wine directly, in particular pulses such as beans and other legumes.

I’m currently in my first year of agronomy engineering school here at Bordeaux Sciences Agro. To get here, I did a baccalauréat in agronomy and life sciences and technologies at an agricultural college in La Roche-sur-Yon in the Vendée. This diploma enabled me to acquire both theoretical and technical skills, particularly in life and environmental sciences.

I then decided to do a BTS ACSE in agricultural business analysis, management and strategy, to acquire notions of management and accounting and gain an overall view of strategies in this field.
After the BTS, I heard about the Apprentice competition to get into an agricultural engineering school and decided to give it a go. I joined Bordeaux Sciences Agro in the first year as an apprentice, particularly for the sustainable animal sectors option, which particularly interested me. What’s more, the living environment in Bordeaux is very pleasant.

I’m currently in my first year at Bordeaux Sciences Agro, combining student and apprentice status. I’m specialising in Sustainable Animal Production and I’m doing my three-year apprenticeship with a company called Invers, based near Clermont-Ferrand. The company is developing an insect breeding industry to exploit insect proteins for animal feed.

For the first year, I’m working in the R&D department to improve production techniques. From next year, I’ll be concentrating more on project management and development, with the aim of replicating the industry in other regions, particularly the Pays de la Loire.
In the short term, I’d like to continue working with my apprentice company on developing the production of insect proteins for animal nutrition. In the medium term, I’d like to set up on the family farm in the Vendée and develop what my parents and ancestors started.

For me, farming has been a vocation since I was a child. It’s a job that makes sense, feeding the population with quality produce while preserving the environment. As a farmer, I’m proud to be able to supply quality produce to the entire population, by cultivating with love and passion.
I discovered remote drone piloting during my BTS, and decided to get my professional drone pilot licence. Today, I work for professionals and private individuals, mapping plots of land and making promotional videos for companies.

I was spotted by the Ministry of Agriculture to take part in a campaign to promote the living world, particularly in agricultural education, and to promote the ambassadors of the living world who use new technologies in the agricultural world.