Local quality and certification schemes as new forms of governance in sustainability transitions - Transition Pathways towards Sustainability in Agriculture: Case Studies from Europe - page 159

research” (Kuhn 1970:91). However, competition from constructed novelties raises the
question about their success in terms of their sustainability. Drawing on examples from
science, if scientists are to challenge the dominant paradigm, they must reflect on existing
values and norms and find new ways to see the world. Sometimes, it is easier to draw on
the paradigms of other sciences through paradigmatic graffiting (Stepin, 2005). We will use
these thoughts to document a type of 'regime graffiting' that we found in our case studies.
This term means that some of the principles which construct governance arrangements
existing in one regime can 'overwrite', through social networks and niches, the governance
arrangements in another regime, in the sense of making a new form. The methods of such
'overwriting' depend on how actors reflect regime governance structures in constructing
their niches, and how well supported they are by wider societal trends.
The overarching question which frames this chapter is: how is the development of each
of the three case studies related to the development of new governance structures? Because
governance structures emerge as a result of the mobilization of resources through social
networks, often against the constraints of previous development (Swedberg and
Granovetter, 1992), we will also look at how they are constructed in the agriculture and
rural development sectors through networking, in spite of locked-in practices implemented
in the dominant regime. To achieve this goal, we will assess why some niches are
successful and others not, demonstrating that appropriate combinations of, and links
between, social and cultural elements in niches, regimes and landscapes; networks of actors
(including their cultural and social backgrounds); and governance structures are highly
important for transitions to emerge and succeed. We also assess the role of EU policy, both
in enabling and in constraining niche development in different settings.
Description of the cases
The case studies in this chapter are situated in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Greece
(Fig. 11.1). All three cases are located in mountainous areas and operate under
environmental regulations. The economies of the study areas are dominated by small and
medium-sized businesses which are active in food-processing, processing of non-food
resources typical for the region (such as wood and textiles) and in the tourism and
hospitality sectors. Agriculture still plays an important role (although it is not dominant) in
all three regional economies. The different temporal starting points of the niches do not
allow for the establishment of a coherent time line bringing all three cases together, but the
comparison enables the assessment of similar processes at different stages of development.
The Bulgarian niche (initiated in the early 2000s) is located in the municipality of
Elena (central northern part of Bulgaria). The initiative was established by an NGO (Local
Tourism Council) in cooperation with local municipal authorities and other local tourism or
food processing, as well as other local NGOs and actors. NGOs are the main organizations
through which local people are involved. The goal of the initiative is to achieve sustainable
development at municipal level, through creating tourist products which will integrate rural
tourism, traditional agriculture and food production into a coherent set of offers for tourists.
Progress is evident in the growing number of tourists, the establishment of organic bee-
keeping in the area and an increase in the amount of land planted with fruit trees. Joining
rural tourism with agriculture and food processing in 2005, local actors started working on
the establishment of a certification scheme for local products (e.g. organic honey, Elenski