| dc.description.abstract | The current Dutch dairy farming regime is under pressure as there is a growing political recognition of the enormous detrimental environmental effects of farming on biodiversity loss and climate change. At the same time, dairy farmers are hindered or supported by factors that contribute to a sustainable farming transition. Therefore, this study aims to understand farmers’ perspectives in the transition towards agroecological or organic dairy farming.
For that purpose, the heuristic novel framework of the three spheres of transformation is used where the personal, practical and political spheres of transformation were examined to capture the breadth and depth of the zones of traction and friction that facilitate or restrict farmers’ transformation, respectively. To do so, a qualitative research method was adopted in desk research, combining primary (expert consultation) and secondary (literature review) data, which served as a rigorous analysis of the dairy farming sector. Secondly, fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with conventional, organic and biodynamic dairy farmers.
Results indicated that most traction zones exist in the personal sphere, followed by the practical and political sphere. On the contrary, most frictions are identified in the political sphere, followed by the practical and personal sphere. Moreover, this study argues the importance of the personal sphere to facilitate transformation. However, such interventions should be complemented by congruent changes in the political and practical sphere.
Overall, this research contributed to the existing literature on sustainable transformation in the dairy sector by being first of its kind to (1) recognising the need to integrate the farmers’ perspective, and their subjective realm, (2) uses a non-binary approach on worldviews and (3) enriches the three spheres framework. Moreover, additional research that analyses how actions within the personal, political, and practical sphere interact, evolve, and shape outcomes within the other spheres offers insights into targeting and improving future initiatives. | |
