Sowing agroecological seeds of transformation in productivist soil: An exploration of the Dutch agroecological farmers' identity in a polarised and conventional agricultural landscape
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2024-07-21
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en
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Agroecology is a transformative alternative for productivist agriculture. Yet societally dominant agricultural stakeholders (SDAS) still pull the strings, leading to watered down policy and political stalemates. What perceptions on 'the farmer' underlie this agroecological and productivist thinking? This was researched through farmers interviews and a SDAS discourse analysis. Stryker's Identity Theory (1968) and the framework of Hopwood et al. (2005) were used as bases. A 'good farmer' according to interviewees places focus on healthy soil and food and a healthy environment and community. The Dutch AFI embraces transformative thinking through an anti-capitalist discourse and rethinking socioeconomic and environmental perceptions. The SDAS however continue to embrace productivist agriculture, demonstrating a significant gap. The local community and absent generational discourses manage to protect the AFI from these external pressures. Yet the societal pressure of demonstrating financial viability remains important within the AFI, thereby appealing to conventional thinking. However, this economic thinking diverges and rather focuses on autonomy and independence. Given its transformative potential, focusing on the AFI as a business case would be too simplistic. The AFI demonstrates great results in influencing conventional farmers, leading to significant changes. The AFI could thus change the sector from within if given the necessary resources.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen