Abstract for: Sustainable pesticide management in Quebec through participatory qualitative systems modeling: a case study in corn-soybean

Despite reduction efforts, synthetic pesticide use in Quebec remains a major environmental and public health concern. The Sustainable Agriculture Plan aimed to reduce active ingredients by 500,000 kg, but this target is still not met due to economic, policy, and agronomic constraints. Understanding the dynamics that sustain pesticide dependence and hinder the adoption of alternatives is essential to identifying leverage points for sustainable transitions. This study adopts a participatory Group Model Building (GMB) approach to analyze the feedback loops reinforcing pesticide dependence in Quebec. The research includes individual interviews with corn and soybean producers an stakeholders involved in Montérégie-East, the development of Causal Loop Diagrams (CLD), and the integration of Digital Storytelling to validate and refine systemic models. Preliminary analysis of 14 CLDs is still in process, but for a interview we can reveals four key themes: the substitution effect between glyphosate and residual pesticides, the development of resistance, the resurgence of agrochemical industry competition, and barriers to organic transition. These dynamics highlight the tensions between economic viability and pesticide reduction, underscoring the systemic challenges of transitioning to more sustainable alternatives. Findings indicate that economic and institutional lock-ins hinder the transition to sustainable agriculture. A better understanding of feedback loops could guide more effective policies. The combination of Group Model Building and Digital Storytelling offers a promising method for engaging stakeholders and co-developing realistic action scenarios to reduce pesticide dependence. To correct sentence structure as English is not my first language