Changing local climate patterns through hail suppression systems: conflict and inequalities between farmers and wine producers in the Burgundy Region (France)

Abstract Meteorological hazards can lead farmers to resort strategies such as weather modifications. In this paper, we study how the use of strategies, in case silver iodide ground generators aimed at protecting vineyards from hail, caused a conflict between (wine producers and cattle breeders) Burgundy, France. The emerged installation these coincided with 3 years severe droughts (2018, 2019 2020), which incurred additional expenses organisational difficulties for local breeders led them suspect potential link droughts. We followed transdisciplinary research approach, based on stakeholder input their need mitigate negative impacts conflict. Based studied links generator precipitation, carried out in-depth interviews farmers’ experiences climate, conflicts region. Whilst climatic analysis shows no or regional effects precipitation volumes, sociological highlights vulnerability successive droughts, found be part wider pattern climate change water balance variables (temperature, evapotranspiration potential, soil wetness index) over long period (1959–2020). Our results suggest that technical solutions meteorological hazards, within broader context engineering, level, challenge agriculture requires focus social issues including vulnerability.