Structuring Tensions and Key Relations of Montreal Seasonal Food Markets in the Sustainability Transition of the Agri-Food Sector

Abstract

Abstract:In cities across the world, local food networks aim to make food systems more sustainable and secure for all. As part of that effort, some of these networks also seek to introduce social innovation in the mode of selling food, namely as a way to initiate a broader transition of the sector. Based on two years of action research conducted together with promoters of Montreal's seasonal markets, this article offers an account of the co-constructed narrative of a transition of the agri-food sector. On the one hand, transition theory anticipates that the transition to sustainability of the agri-food sector would depend on the protection and empowerment of innovative 'niches' that are facing the locked-in structure of the agri-food 'sociotechnical regime'. Yet, on the other hand, the seasonal markets do not fit well in this portrait: they are shown to evolve at the intersection of the sociotechnical regime and innovative niches. For this reason, they are subject to regime rules and become difficult to protect as an entity. As such, seasonal markets face 'structuring tensions' that generate both practical dilemmas and innovative solutions in their modes of organization. These solutions, however, rely on webs of resources and supports that constitute 'key relations' for unlocking the agri-food regime rules. It is through managing these tensions and relations that the seasonal markets end up reconfiguring social and material relations and providing solutions for food security and a more sustainable food system. Therefore, we argue that the structuring tension and key relation concepts are useful for understanding the dynamics of social innovation in the transition to sustainability in food systems.

The Multi-Level Perspective in Research on Sustainability Transitions in Agriculture and Food Systems: A Systematic Review

“…Concerning the food chain stages, production is the most addressed one. Distribution and sourcing/procurement [65][66][67][68][69] are properly addressed. Processing stage [70,71] is underrepresented in research on agro-food sustainability transitions using the MLP.…”

“…Transitions towards organic agriculture and agroecology are prominent case studies in the selected articles. In fact, considered niches include agro-ecology [78][79][80][81], organic agriculture [82,83], permaculture [84], urban agriculture [59], conservation agriculture [85], integrated farming [86], care farming [87][88][89], alternative food networks [65,66,68,73] (Table 2).…”

“…The concepts of 'lock-in' and 'path dependency' [116][117][118] are recurring themes in analyses of agro-food regimes [53,55,64,65,78,83,90,99,104] to explain its resistance to change. For instance, in the case of pig farming in the Netherlands, system lock-ins take the form of barriers in the meat supply chain and market that hinder improving animal welfare in pig production [55].…”

“…Audet et al [65] Montreal seasonal food markets Canada Belmin et al [98] Geographical Indications France Feyereisen et al [99] Fair trade milk Belgium Hauser and Lindtner [82] Organic agriculture Uganda Isgren and Ness [78] Agroecology Uganda Jacobs et al [64] Phosphorus use Multi-country/North America Loconto and Barbier [100] Agriculture sustainability standards Undefined Meynard et al [74] Agri-food sector Multi-country Paschen et al [101] Privatised agricultural extension Australia Seoane and Marín [83] Organic apiculture Argentina Vivero-Pol [92] Food Multi-country Vlahos et al [86] Integrated peach farming Greece…”

Transition heuristic frameworks in research on agro-food sustainability transitions

“…Although MLP is by far the most prominent transition framework also in agro-food sustainability transitions research field, some scholars highlight its inadequacy for understanding and nurturing agro-food sustainability transitions in some specific contexts. For instance, Audet et al (2017) pointed out that while MLP anticipates that sustainability transition would depend on the protection of niches that face the agro-food regime, the Montreal seasonal food markets do not fit in this portrait as they evolve at the intersection of the regime and niches. Bui et al (2016) highlighted that MLP does not allow elucidating the mechanisms of niches contribution to regime reconfiguration.…”