Multifunctional Agriculture: A Transition Theory Perspective

By: Geoff A. Wilson

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Synopsis: As the world grows hungrier we need more food from less land, and we need it now. However, one of the options that shows the most promise, multifunctional agriculture, has received less attention than it should. Wilson (geography, U. of Plymouth) takes the novel approach of applying transition theory to the issue and establishes a link between multifunctional agriculture and post-productivism. He begins by conceptualizing transition at the theoretical level and examining its place in social and natural science debates. He then reshapes the notion of transition by exposing the complexity of transitory systems and moves from productivist to post-productivist agriculture (and back) to reconceptualize multifunctional agriculture transitions into a workable concept. This unique approach is sure to raise awareness of the concepts behind multifunctional agriculture and increase research at practical and theoretical levels.