Conceptual insights derived from case studies on ‘emerging transitions’ in farming - Transition Pathways towards Sustainability in Agriculture: Case Studies from Europe - page 200

challenge of disentangling the complex dynamics of an evolving niche, an evolving regime
and their co-evolving interactions.
A challenge which could be particularly pronounced when analysing transitions in
farming is how to take into account the diversity of practices within a region. Indeed,
identifying a radical change in values and practices is easier if the 'dominant' practices are
homogeneous (e.g. transportation by automobiles), or if there is one dominant practice with
a number of minor practices (e.g. in energy production), particularly if these practices rely
on large investments in infrastructure (e.g. roads, power plants). However, in farming the
'mainstream' may be more an artefact of the rhetorical power of regime actors (e.g. the
Chamber of Agriculture) than a faithful description of farmers' practices. Research based
on an actor-orientation, such as on farming styles (van der Ploeg, 2000), or on rural
development (van der Ploeg et al. , 2000), has shown that farmers are not guided in a
deterministic way by structural constraints such as subsidies, markets or their natural
environment but actively mediate their impact, resulting in a variety and diversity of on-
farm practices. Thus, given farmer agency and the dependence of farming on the natural
and cultural environment, a uniform 'transition' is unlikely. Yet, it is debatable whether a
shift in the proportion of farms using a particular practice (e.g. direct marketing, energy
production), or a shift towards a higher level of diversity, is sufficient to be labelled a
transition.
The multifunctionality of farming (the fact that farms are at the crossroads of several
societal functions, and thus may be involved in several regimes) also adds to the challenge.
Indeed, at farm-level and within a region, several transitions may be emerging. For
example, in Aberdeenshire (UK), a renewable energy transition is occurring at the same
time as countryside consumption is becoming more common (see Pinto-Correia et al. a, and
Sutherland et al. , both this volume). Given that farming is influenced by these multiple
developments, it can prove challenging to clearly identify one transition, in one sector. This
is especially the case if several 'marginal' changes are occurring in each sector, each of
which - when considered in isolation - does not merit the term 'radical' and, thus, is not a
transition in that regime. Taken together, however, these changes do significantly alter the
dynamics at regional level. In addition, transition theory makes it possible to understand
that the changes may be not within the regimes themselves but in a shift in the dominant
role of one regime over another. Referring to the example of farms in one area mentioned
above, the energy regime or the real estate regime may become more relevant than the
agricultural regime. From an analytical perspective, the challenge is to define regime(s) in
such a way as to adequately capture these dynamics.
Conclusion
Transitions are about “relatively rare, long-term macro-changes” (Geels, 2011:38). Since
they do not occur frequently, it is difficult to identify suitable case studies, and even more
so if the focus is on emerging transitions whose future trajectory is unknown. However,
studying and engaging with emerging transitions is particularly relevant, as it may lead to
the empowerment of niches which have the potential to transform dominant practices, and
therefore contribute to increasing the sustainability of societal practices.
The purpose of applying the MLP to farming was to identify mechanisms and
processes that strengthen or weaken the transformative potential of niches, providing