Why are agri-food systems resistant to new directions of change? A systematic review



View results in:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100576
DOI: 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100576
ISSN: 
2211-9124
Provider: 
Licensing of resource: 
Rights subject to owner's permission
Type: 
journal article
Journal: 
Global Food Security
Volume: 
31
Year: 
December 2021
Author(s): 
Conti C.
Zanello G.
Hall A.
Publisher(s): 
Description: 

A central concern about achieving global food security is reconfiguring agri-food systems towards sustainability. However, historically-informed trajectories of agri-food system development remain resistant to a change in direction. Through a systematic literature review, the authors identify three research domains exploring this phenomenon and six explanations of resistance: embedded nature of technologies, misaligned institutional settings, individual attitudes, political economy factors, infrastructural rigidities, research and innovation priorities. They find ambiguities in the use of the terms lock-in and path-dependency, which often weaken the analysis. The authors suggest a framing that deals with interdependencies and temporal dynamics of causes of resistance. Finally, they discuss implications for framing innovation for transformational change and other research gaps. 

Publication year: 
2021