Incumbents’ in/ability to drive endogenous sustainability transitions in livestock farming: Lessons from Rotenburg (Germany)

Abstract

Livestock farmers, as incumbents, face pressures to transition toward sustainability. We study these actors’ role in this process, particularly their in/ability to contribute to endogenous institutional change. Our study entails an interview-based single case study with farmers based on institutional theory. We find “partaking” to be the likely form of endogenous change, as incumbents predominantly rely on routine and sensemaking agency. They externalize the locale of change to other actors whom they expect to change framework conditions. However, we find contrasting examples that may drive institutional change in livestock farming. We also discuss incumbents’ ambivalent role and embedded agency in these change processes. “Strategic agency” and the ability to imagine alternatives are important aspects for perceiving agency in transitions. Hence, we recommend that regional policy-makers and change agents work with farmers to create alternative imaginations for livestock farming with the restructive and affective power to disrupt existing practices and structures.