Navigating the nexus: The role of intermediaries in charting a new frontier of policy integration for agrifood and energy systems transformation

Abstract

The effects of climate change are instigating a discourse shift towards net-zero emissions agriculture. However, a sectoral silo paradigm of policy design is incompatible with a systems approach to address complex global environmental challenges. This study introduces a social cartography approach that amalgamates network theory with a nexus perspective to identify social relation changes in the making. The study examines the role of an advisor-led initiative promoting the discourse of climate-smart farming in Scotland and identifies the impacts upon farmer knowledge networks. The social cartography comprises of a survey, farm meeting observations, and social network analysis of the agriculture, climate change, and energy (ACE) policyscape. As a visualization method, the social cartography provides a conceptual compass to navigate social relation changes of farmer knowledge networks amidst discursive transition. The results demonstrate that the advisor-led initiative acts an intermediary of discursive transition by introducing new knowledge frames and practices of farming that facilitate network shifts. However, voluntary measures fall short of instigating cross-sectoral interplay to actualize transformation towards systems integration. Furthermore, the study presents policy design elements to chart a new frontier of integrated agrifood and energy systems governance in Scotland.