Conceptual insights derived from case studies on ‘emerging transitions’ in farming - Transition Pathways towards Sustainability in Agriculture: Case Studies from Europe - page 197

institutionalized as new norms and routines in a transformed regime. The niche is then
empowered by enabling it to change its selection environment, rather than being
subordinated to it. In other words, whilst the niche might not have radically changed the
whole regime, it has successfully re-structured a specific aspect in ways that are favourable
to itself and probably other niches that follow similar aims. This process might be
particularly important in emerging transitions, as it empowers the niche and increases its
competitiveness, essential characteristics for the 'take off' phase of a transition.
However, such an empowerment may face limits. Whilst the regime can create room
for some niches to anchor - and as such, seem to be opening up to a transition - it might
actually strive to contain the niche and the possible transition within some pre-established
boundaries, so as to ensure that it does not influence the regime further (as shown in Peneva
et al. , this volume). The Rural Development Programme under Pillar II of the CAP (a sub-
regime of policy within the agricultural regime), to some extent shows such a trend: there
are some dimensions of change and there is some support for rural development initiatives
which comply with European public demand for a healthy countryside and environmentally
friendly agriculture. However, the bulk of the agricultural policy continues to support
productivist farming with no significant change in the regime.
The influence of changes in the socio-technical landscape
The term 'socio-technical landscape' refers to the wider context which influences niche and
regime dynamics; it includes the technical and material backdrop that sustains society, as
well as demographical trends, political ideology and societal values (Geels, 2011). Actors
at niche and regime levels cannot influence the socio-technical landscape in the short term.
Given that farming is at the crossroads of a number of societal functions, a wide range
of pressures from the socio-technical landscape will be encountered. For example, both
climate change and the need to decarbonize energy supplies play important roles in the
support for renewable energy (e.g. wind turbines and biogas plants, see Sutherland et al. b,
this volume). Recognition of the environmental damage caused by intensive agricultural
practices has led to pressure on the agricultural regime to limit certain actions, such as the
amount of nitrogen fertilizer used, in order to reduce nitrate levels in surface water, thus
opening a window of opportunity for a whole range of extensive farming practices (see
Vlahos and Schiller, this volume). Food scares linked to industrial food production have led
some consumers to seek out, and establish, alternative food networks, some of which have
been supported by municipalities (see Darrot et al. , this volume). In all of the case studies
reported in this topic, landscape pressures caused by persistent problems in the regime can
clearly be identified, opening windows of opportunity for niches.
The role of researchers
When studying emerging transitions, researchers often place themselves in the role of a
neutral observer analysing social dynamics. It is rare that the role of research within a
transition is emphasized beyond the fact that it might have contributed to the development
of a new technology.