I Care by BearingPoint publishes the first methodological note of the Biodiversity Framework for Agricultural Transition (BFAT)
Agriculture remains a key issue in the ecological transition. However, tools to concretely assess the effects of agricultural practices on biodiversity are still limited. Existing methods largely measure the environmental impacts of agriculture, but they do not sufficiently discriminate against agricultural practices—despite scientific evidence showing their major influence on soils, biodiversity, ecosystem quality, and greenhouse gas emissions.
It is in response to this need that the Biodiversity Framework for Agricultural Transition (BFAT) project was launched.
About the BFAT Project
Since 2023, I Care by BearingPoint and CDC Biodiversité have been jointly leading the Biodiversity Framework for Agricultural Transition (BFAT), an ambitious research initiative designed to improve the impact assessment of agricultural practices on biodiversity and to equip value chain stakeholders with tools to steer the agroecological transition.
In 2026, BFAT reaches a new milestone with the publication of its first methodological note, based on the analysis of more than 250 scientific articles, tests conducted across multiple value chains (wheat, maize, soy, cotton, wool, palm oil, beef, milk, lamb), and close collaboration with a broad ecosystem of partners, including technical partners, committed companies, and financial actors.
What does this Methodological Note disclose ?
The strength of BFAT lies in its ability to differentiate impacts between agricultural production systems (conventional, organic, regenerative, conservation agriculture, agroforestry), thanks to a practice-level granularity.
For the first time, the methodological note presents:
- the scientific and operational principles underpinning BFAT;
- the approach adopted to integrate agricultural practices’ effect into pressure indicators used in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) (GHG emissions, eutrophication, water use, ecotoxicity, etc.), as well as into state-of-nature indicators, including the Mean Species Abundance (MSA) derived from the GLOBIO model;
- the method developed to refine existing models, particularly land-use classes, so that they more accurately reflect real-world field practices.
Together, these elements form a robust foundation for scientifically sound and comparable documentation of both impact reduction levers and positive contributions of agroecological and regenerative practices.
BFAT provides tangible and measurable results
Now tested across a wide range of agricultural value chains (annual crops, perennial crops, and livestock systems) and an increasing number of geographies, the method has already proved tangible results in support of agroecology, including:
- a significant increase in biodiversity in grassland-based and organic systems;
- an enhanced carbon sequestration potential in systems integrating a higher share of permanent grasslands.
These findings pave the way for operational applications for agricultural value chain actors, companies, and financial institutions, including steering transition plans, CSRD / TNFD / SBTN reporting, impact measurement, contracting with producers, and the design of low-carbon and nature-positive trajectories.
What’s next?
This first methodological note marks a structuring milestone in the development of the BFAT project. In 2026, I Care by BearingPoint and CDC Biodiversité are continuing their ambition to provide stakeholders with reliable and operational tools to accelerate the agricultural transition and restore biodiversity.
BFAT is built on a hybrid governance model combining scientific rigor with field feedback. New partners are gradually joining the initiative, while sector-specific pilot projects are underway with professional organizations, industrial players, and financial institutions.
To contribute to the project or launch a pilot, please contact our teams:
- Guillaume Neveux – guillaume.neveux@i-care-consult.com
- Eliette Verdier – eliette.verdier@i-care-consult.com
- Constance Gires – constance.gires@i-care-consult.com
