Co-producing Transition:Innovation Processes in Farms Adhering to Solidarity-based Purchase Groups (GAS) in Tuscany, Italy
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Published
Jan 15, 2011
Gianluca Brunori
Adanella Rossi
Vanessa Malandrin
Abstract
The growth of localized and sustainable food systems is widely recognized in many Western countries as a response to the increasingly evident crisis of conventional food systems. However, despite the growing consumer demand, the producer capacity to catch up with demand emerges as a critical point. The authors reckon that participation in alternative food chains not only needs a new market opened, but also appropriate farming styles. Adopting new farming styles requires radical changes to knowledge and skills, material assets, organizational patterns, communication practices, etc. To that end, the direct interaction with consumers as well as the co-operation and co-ordination with other farmers become crucial. On the basis of a deep analysis carried out through a case-study – the innovation cycles activated by farmers adhering to Solidarity-based Purchase Groups (GAS) in Tuscany, Italy – the article explores the complex processes linked to transition, and tries to contribute to a theory of alternative food networks by representing changes in the farm as an outcome of interaction within hybrid networks through the definition of new codes, cognitive frames, norms, rules and organizational patterns.
How to Cite
Brunori, G. ., Rossi , A. . and Malandrin, V. . (2011) “Co-producing Transition:Innovation Processes in Farms Adhering to Solidarity-based Purchase Groups (GAS) in Tuscany, Italy ”, The International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food. Paris, France, 18(1), pp. 28–53. doi: 10.48416/ijsaf.v18i1.257.
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References
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Chiffoleau, Y. (2009) From politics to co-operation: the dynamics of embeddedness in alternative food supply chains, Sociologia Ruralis, 49(3), pp. 218–235.
Cone, C.A. and Myh re, A. (2000) Community-supported agriculture: a sustainable alternative to industrial agriculture?, Human Organization, 59, pp. 187–197.
Di Iac ovo, F. (ed.) (2008) Agricoltura Sociale: Quando Le Campagne Coltivano Valori, Milano: Franco Angeli.
Dupuis, E.M. and Gillon, S. (2009) Alternative modes of governance: organic as civic engagement, Agriculture and Human Values, 26(1–2), pp. 43–56.
Evans, N. (2009) Adjustment strategies revisited: agricultural change in the Welsh Marches, Journal of Rural Studies, 25, pp.217–230.
Geels, F.W. (2004) From sectoral systems of innovation to socio-technical systems: Insights about dynamics and change from sociology and institutional theory, Research Policy, 33, pp. 897–920.
Goodma n, D. (2003) The quality turn and alternative food practices: reflections and agenda, Journal of Rural Studies, 19(1), pp.1–7.
Goodma n, D. and Goodma n, M. (2007) Localism, livelihoods, and the ‘post-organic’: changing perspectives on alternative food networks in the United States, in: D. MayAYe, L. and M. Kneafsey (eds) Alternative Food Geographies, Emerald Group Publishing.
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Govindasamy , R., Italia, J. and Adelaja , A. (2002) Farmers’ markets: consumer trends, preferences, and characteristics, Journal of Extension, 40(1), pp. 1–7.
Guthma n, J. (1998) Regulating meaning, appropriating nature: the codification of California organic agriculture, Antipode, 30(2), pp. 135–154.
Guthma n, J. (2002) Commodified meanings, meaningful commodities: re-thinking production–consumption links through the organic system of provision, Sociologia Ruralis, 42(4), pp. 295–311.
Guthma n, J. (2004) The trouble with ‘organic lite’ in California: a rejoinder to the ‘conventionalisation’ debate, Sociologia Ruralis, 44(3), pp. 301–316.
Hassa nein, N. (2003) Practicing food democracy: a pragmatic politics of transformation, Journal of Rural Studies, 19, pp. 77–86.
Jac obs en, E. and Dulsrud, A. (2007) Will consumers save the world? The framing of political consumerism, Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 20, pp. 469–482.
Johnsen, S. (2004) The redefi nition of family farming: agricultural restructuring and farm adjustment in Waihemo, New Zealand, Journal of Rural Studies, 20, pp. 419–432.
Kirwan, J. (2004) Alternative strategies in the UK agro-food system: interrogating the alterity of farmers’ markets, Sociologia Ruralis, 44, pp. 395–415.
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Moors, E.H.M., Rip, A. and Wisk erke, J.S.C. (2004) The dynamics of innovation: a multilevel co-evolutionary perspective, in: J.S.C. Wisk erke and J.D. vaVAn der Ploeg (eds) Seeds of Transition: Essays on Novelty Production, Niches and Regimes in Agriculture, Assen: Royal Van Gorcum, pp. 31–56.
Offer, A. (1997) Between the gift and the market: the economy of regard, Economic History Review, 50(3), pp. 450–476.
Padel, S. (2001) Conversion to organic farming: a typical example of the diffusion of an innovation?, Sociologia Ruralis, 41(1), pp. 40–61.
Petrini, C. (2005) Buono, Pulito e Giusto. Torino: Einaudi.
Ploeg, J.D. vaVAn der, Renting, H., Brunori, G., Knick el, K., Mannion, J., Marsden, T., Roest, K. de, Sevilla-Guzma n, E. and Ventura, F. (2000) Rural development: from practices and policies towards theory. Sociologia Ruralis, 40(4), pp. 391–408.
Ploeg, J.D. vaVAn der, Bouma , J., Rip, A., Rijk enberg, F.H.J., Ventura, F. and Wisk erke, J.S.C. (2004), On regimes, novelties and co-production, in: J.S.C. Wisk erke and J.D. vaVAn der Ploeg (eds) Seeds of Transition: Essays on Novelty Production, Niches and Regimes in Agriculture, Assen: Royal Van Gorcum, pp. 1–27.
Renting, H., Marsden, T. and Banks , J. (2003) Understanding alternative food networks: exploring the role of short food supply chains in rural development, Environment and Planning A, 35, pp. 393–411.
Rip, A. and Kemp, R. (1998) Technological change, in: S. RayAYner and E. Malone (eds) Human Choice and Climate Change vol. 2, Columbus, OH: Battelle.
Roep, D. and Wisk erke, J.S.C. (2005) Nourishing Networks: Fourteen Lessons about Creating Sustainable Food Supply Chains, Doetinchem: Reed Business Information.
Sag e, C. (2003) Social embeddedness and relations of regard: alternative ‘good food ’networks in south-west Ireland, Journal of Rural Studies, 19, pp.47–60.
Sch ot, J. and Geels, F.W. (2008) Strategic niche management and sustainable innovation journeys: theory, findings, research agenda, and policy, Technology, Analysis and Strategic Management, 20, pp. 537–554.
Seyfang, G. (2006) Ecological citizenship and sustainable consumption: examining local organic food networks, Journal of Rural Studies, 22, pp. 383–395.
Smith, A. (2003) Transforming technological regimes for sustainable development: a role for alternative technology niches?, Science and Public Policy, 30(2), pp. 127–135.
Smith, A. (2006) Green niches in sustainable development: the case of organic food in the United Kingdom, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 24(3), pp. 439–458.
Sonnino, R. and Marsden, T. (2006) Beyond the divide: rethinking relationships between alternative and conventional food networks in Europe, Journal of Economic Geography, 6, pp. 181–199.
Willis, S. and Cam pbell, H. (2004) The chestnut economy: the praxis of neo-peasantry in rural France, Sociologia Ruralis, 44(3), pp. 317–331.
Wilson, A.G. (2008) From ‘weak’ to ‘strong’ multifunctionality: conceptualising farm-level multifunctional transitional pathways, Journal of Rural Studies, 24, pp. 367–383.
Wisk erke, J.S.C. and Ploeg, J.D. vaVAn der (2004) Seeds of Transition: Essays on Novelty Production, Niches and Regimes in Agriculture, Assen: Royal Van Gorcum.
Woolcock , M. (1999) Social Capital: The State of the Notion. Presented at a seminar on ‘Social Capital: Global and Local Perspectives’, Helsinki, 15 April.
Brunori, G., Cerruti, R., Medeot, S. and Ross i, A. (2008) Looking for alternatives: the construction of the organic beef chain in Mugello, Tuscany, International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 7(1), pp. 126–143.
Callon, M. (1986) Some elements of a sociology of translation: domestication of the scallops and the fishermen of St. Brieuc bay, in: J. Law (ed.) Power, Action and Belief: A New Sociology of Knowledge?, London: Routledge, pp. 196–233.
Callon, M. (1999) Actor network theory: the market test, in: J. Law and J. Hassa rd (eds) Actor Network Theory and After, Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 181–195.
Callon, M., Meadel, C. and Rab eha risoa, V. (2002) The economy of qualities, Economy and Society, 31(2), pp. 194–217.
Chiffoleau, Y. (2009) From politics to co-operation: the dynamics of embeddedness in alternative food supply chains, Sociologia Ruralis, 49(3), pp. 218–235.
Cone, C.A. and Myh re, A. (2000) Community-supported agriculture: a sustainable alternative to industrial agriculture?, Human Organization, 59, pp. 187–197.
Di Iac ovo, F. (ed.) (2008) Agricoltura Sociale: Quando Le Campagne Coltivano Valori, Milano: Franco Angeli.
Dupuis, E.M. and Gillon, S. (2009) Alternative modes of governance: organic as civic engagement, Agriculture and Human Values, 26(1–2), pp. 43–56.
Evans, N. (2009) Adjustment strategies revisited: agricultural change in the Welsh Marches, Journal of Rural Studies, 25, pp.217–230.
Geels, F.W. (2004) From sectoral systems of innovation to socio-technical systems: Insights about dynamics and change from sociology and institutional theory, Research Policy, 33, pp. 897–920.
Goodma n, D. (2003) The quality turn and alternative food practices: reflections and agenda, Journal of Rural Studies, 19(1), pp.1–7.
Goodma n, D. and Goodma n, M. (2007) Localism, livelihoods, and the ‘post-organic’: changing perspectives on alternative food networks in the United States, in: D. MayAYe, L. and M. Kneafsey (eds) Alternative Food Geographies, Emerald Group Publishing.
Goodma n, D. and DuPuis, E.M. (2002) Knowing food and growing food: beyond the production-consumption debate in the sociology of agriculture, Sociologia Ruralis, 42(1), pp. 6–23.
Govindasamy , R., Italia, J. and Adelaja , A. (2002) Farmers’ markets: consumer trends, preferences, and characteristics, Journal of Extension, 40(1), pp. 1–7.
Guthma n, J. (1998) Regulating meaning, appropriating nature: the codification of California organic agriculture, Antipode, 30(2), pp. 135–154.
Guthma n, J. (2002) Commodified meanings, meaningful commodities: re-thinking production–consumption links through the organic system of provision, Sociologia Ruralis, 42(4), pp. 295–311.
Guthma n, J. (2004) The trouble with ‘organic lite’ in California: a rejoinder to the ‘conventionalisation’ debate, Sociologia Ruralis, 44(3), pp. 301–316.
Hassa nein, N. (2003) Practicing food democracy: a pragmatic politics of transformation, Journal of Rural Studies, 19, pp. 77–86.
Jac obs en, E. and Dulsrud, A. (2007) Will consumers save the world? The framing of political consumerism, Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 20, pp. 469–482.
Johnsen, S. (2004) The redefi nition of family farming: agricultural restructuring and farm adjustment in Waihemo, New Zealand, Journal of Rural Studies, 20, pp. 419–432.
Kirwan, J. (2004) Alternative strategies in the UK agro-food system: interrogating the alterity of farmers’ markets, Sociologia Ruralis, 44, pp. 395–415.
Lamine, C. (2005) Settling shared uncertainties: local partnerships between producers and consumers, Sociologia Ruralis, 45(4), pp. 324–345.
Latour, B. (1987) Science in Action: How to Follow Scientists and Engineers through Society. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
Lyson, T.A. (2004) Civic Agriculture: Reconnecting Farm, Food and Community. University Press of New England.
Moore, O. (2006) What farmers’ markets say about the post-organic movement in Ireland, in: M. Reed (ed.) Sociological Perspectives of Organic Agriculture: From Pioneer to Policy, CABI, pp. 18–35.
Moors, E.H.M., Rip, A. and Wisk erke, J.S.C. (2004) The dynamics of innovation: a multilevel co-evolutionary perspective, in: J.S.C. Wisk erke and J.D. vaVAn der Ploeg (eds) Seeds of Transition: Essays on Novelty Production, Niches and Regimes in Agriculture, Assen: Royal Van Gorcum, pp. 31–56.
Offer, A. (1997) Between the gift and the market: the economy of regard, Economic History Review, 50(3), pp. 450–476.
Padel, S. (2001) Conversion to organic farming: a typical example of the diffusion of an innovation?, Sociologia Ruralis, 41(1), pp. 40–61.
Petrini, C. (2005) Buono, Pulito e Giusto. Torino: Einaudi.
Ploeg, J.D. vaVAn der, Renting, H., Brunori, G., Knick el, K., Mannion, J., Marsden, T., Roest, K. de, Sevilla-Guzma n, E. and Ventura, F. (2000) Rural development: from practices and policies towards theory. Sociologia Ruralis, 40(4), pp. 391–408.
Ploeg, J.D. vaVAn der, Bouma , J., Rip, A., Rijk enberg, F.H.J., Ventura, F. and Wisk erke, J.S.C. (2004), On regimes, novelties and co-production, in: J.S.C. Wisk erke and J.D. vaVAn der Ploeg (eds) Seeds of Transition: Essays on Novelty Production, Niches and Regimes in Agriculture, Assen: Royal Van Gorcum, pp. 1–27.
Renting, H., Marsden, T. and Banks , J. (2003) Understanding alternative food networks: exploring the role of short food supply chains in rural development, Environment and Planning A, 35, pp. 393–411.
Rip, A. and Kemp, R. (1998) Technological change, in: S. RayAYner and E. Malone (eds) Human Choice and Climate Change vol. 2, Columbus, OH: Battelle.
Roep, D. and Wisk erke, J.S.C. (2005) Nourishing Networks: Fourteen Lessons about Creating Sustainable Food Supply Chains, Doetinchem: Reed Business Information.
Sag e, C. (2003) Social embeddedness and relations of regard: alternative ‘good food ’networks in south-west Ireland, Journal of Rural Studies, 19, pp.47–60.
Sch ot, J. and Geels, F.W. (2008) Strategic niche management and sustainable innovation journeys: theory, findings, research agenda, and policy, Technology, Analysis and Strategic Management, 20, pp. 537–554.
Seyfang, G. (2006) Ecological citizenship and sustainable consumption: examining local organic food networks, Journal of Rural Studies, 22, pp. 383–395.
Smith, A. (2003) Transforming technological regimes for sustainable development: a role for alternative technology niches?, Science and Public Policy, 30(2), pp. 127–135.
Smith, A. (2006) Green niches in sustainable development: the case of organic food in the United Kingdom, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 24(3), pp. 439–458.
Sonnino, R. and Marsden, T. (2006) Beyond the divide: rethinking relationships between alternative and conventional food networks in Europe, Journal of Economic Geography, 6, pp. 181–199.
Willis, S. and Cam pbell, H. (2004) The chestnut economy: the praxis of neo-peasantry in rural France, Sociologia Ruralis, 44(3), pp. 317–331.
Wilson, A.G. (2008) From ‘weak’ to ‘strong’ multifunctionality: conceptualising farm-level multifunctional transitional pathways, Journal of Rural Studies, 24, pp. 367–383.
Wisk erke, J.S.C. and Ploeg, J.D. vaVAn der (2004) Seeds of Transition: Essays on Novelty Production, Niches and Regimes in Agriculture, Assen: Royal Van Gorcum.
Woolcock , M. (1999) Social Capital: The State of the Notion. Presented at a seminar on ‘Social Capital: Global and Local Perspectives’, Helsinki, 15 April.
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