Reconnecting to nature amidst crisis: harnessing capacities and mobilities for livelihood and land transformations in the Greek back-to-the-land trend

Abstract

The 2008 Greek crisis has resulted in unexpected social-ecological transformations, including a back-to-the-land trend whereby people seek to reconnect to land-based activities. While it's been theorized that back-to-the-land trends contribute to enhancing people's resilience and may play a role in the growth of sustainable farming and rural revitalization, much remains unknown regarding the processes involved. Based on a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 76 interviews of Greek back-to-the-landers, this article provides an in-depth assessment of the resources mobilized to go back-to-the-land as well as livelihood and land management outcomes. This article argues that using a livelihood approach contributes to further understanding counterurbanisation and back-to-the-land movements by shedding light on how people transform their livelihoods. The article posits that back-to-the-land trends need to be approached as livelihood transformations that are linked to a diverse set of mobilities and assets, rather than solely a migration process. The research shows that the Greek back-to-the-land trend is not homogeneous, ranging from subsistence to market-oriented small-scale farms and involves both rural and urban spaces; yet it is mostly ‘invisible’ to the State. These different types of back-to-the-land strategies reflect different initial starting points and may shift once capacity is acquired, illustrating the dynamic nature of back-to-the-land transformations. For instance, people with limited initial land knowledge experimented on urban plots before farming in rural areas. Most opted to engage in small-scale organic farming, hinting at the importance of the back-to-land trend for the growth of sustainable food systems in Greece. While going back-to-the-land helped households cope with crisis, there were limits to their ability to make a living and enhance their capacity without external support, especially in the context of a long-term crisis. Different back-to-the-land strategies require targeted support at different stages to ensure their viability and long-term sustainability.