Challenging the regime: neo-rural farmers as actors of change in food systems
A case study of Cabranes, Asturias
Y. van Winkelen (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
W.K. Korthals Altes – Mentor (TU Delft - Urban Development Management)
Bettina Bock – Mentor
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Abstract
Neo-rural farmers, urban-origin individuals who move to rural areas to start small-scale farms, are increasingly recognised as potential agents of change within European food systems. While their motivations and the challenges they encounter are well documented, little is known about how they manage this transition. This thesis explores the strategies that enable neo-rural farmers to establish themselves in Asturias, Spain. Through Schlossberg’s (1981) model for analysing human adaptation to transition, nine semi-structured interviews are analysed to shed light on the situation, self, support, and strategy that describe their transitions. Neo-rural farmers are positioned as niches in Geels’ (2002) Multi-Level Perspective where they are seen as potential actors of change. Findings show that transitions are shaped by yearly cycles and interconnected challenges concerning economic viability, knowledge gaps, social integration, bureaucratic barriers, and access to land. Successful strategies combine adaptive learning through DIY and trial and error, with diverse business models of trust-based markets and collaborative labour. The individual learning processes of neo-rural farmers illustrate how micro-adaptations can contribute to broader sociotechnical experimentation and innovation in food systems. This study highlights the importance of supporting neo-rural farmers’ transitions to advance their long-term contributions to global food systems.