MOSAICA: A multi-scale bioeconomic model for the design and ex ante assessment of cropping system mosaics

• We built a multi-scale spatially explicit regional bioeconomic model called MOSAICA.
• MOSAICA combines field, farm, and regional data to produce cropping system mosaics.
• MOSAICA models impacts of policy and novel scenarios on cropping system mosaics.
• Spatially explicit indicators can help decision-makers to assess different targeted policies.
• MOSAICA can help explore scenarios to improve sustainable development of regions.

To understand the effects of policy changes on organisations and compositions of cropping systems at regional scale and their contribution to the sustainable development of regions, we built a regional, spatially explicit, multi-scale, bioeconomic model called MOSAICA. This model explicitly incorporates information at field, farm, sub-regional and regional scales to provide cropping system mosaics by way of regional optimisation of the sum of individual farmer's utilities under field, farm and territory biophysical and socio-economic constraints. Its generic structure means it can be used in different regions with geographic information on the location of the field and farm, data on cropping system performance, on location factors and on policy schemes. We used the model in Guadeloupe to test the impact of three scenarios of change on the agricultural subsidy regimes. The model produced three cropping system mosaics which reduced the area under banana and sugarcane, turned specialised banana and sugarcane farming systems into breeding systems while improving the overall contribution of agriculture to sustainable development. The spatially explicit results of changes in ecosystem services, and in farming systems with MOSAICA make it an appropriate decision-aid tool for regional planning.