Agency and behavior change in agricultural research for development: New directions for guiding agri-food system transformations
CONTEXT Agri-food system transformations require change across sectors and actors within the system. Initiatives contributing to these changes need to connect system change processes to individual and collective agency and behaviors. OBJECTIVE We propose a conceptual framework on agency and behavio...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
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Elsevier
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/174845 |
| _version_ | 1855535683602481152 |
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| author | Freed, Sarah Voss, Rachel C. Falk, Thomas Rietveld, Anne M. Alary, Véronique Chimonyo, Vimbayi G.P. Frija, Aymen Guettou-Djurfeldt, Nadia Lestrelin, Guillaume Singh, Sonali Ndiwa, Aurillia Manjella Zingwena, Taurai |
| author_browse | Alary, Véronique Chimonyo, Vimbayi G.P. Falk, Thomas Freed, Sarah Frija, Aymen Guettou-Djurfeldt, Nadia Lestrelin, Guillaume Ndiwa, Aurillia Manjella Rietveld, Anne M. Singh, Sonali Voss, Rachel C. Zingwena, Taurai |
| author_facet | Freed, Sarah Voss, Rachel C. Falk, Thomas Rietveld, Anne M. Alary, Véronique Chimonyo, Vimbayi G.P. Frija, Aymen Guettou-Djurfeldt, Nadia Lestrelin, Guillaume Singh, Sonali Ndiwa, Aurillia Manjella Zingwena, Taurai |
| author_sort | Freed, Sarah |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | CONTEXT
Agri-food system transformations require change across sectors and actors within the system. Initiatives contributing to these changes need to connect system change processes to individual and collective agency and behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
We propose a conceptual framework on agency and behavior change for transforming agri-food systems (ACT framework). ACT emphasizes agri-food system actors' behaviors with attention to their power, agency, and the influence of structural agri-food system elements. Researchers can apply ACT to assess an initiative's contributions to changes in system elements through individual and collective behaviors.
METHODS
We conducted literature reviews and key informant interviews for 29 initiative case studies. Using ACT, we identified patterns in terms of initiatives' targeted actors, behaviors, and the factors shaping actors' agency and behavior. We then applied ACT in an initiative in Zimbabwe to develop a theory of change that links behavior change pathways with broader systems transformation.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
The reviewed initiatives focused heavily on shaping producers' behavior through knowledge transfer, less often considering other actors and structural challenges and opportunities. Key informants frequently reported enablers and impediments to achieve initiative outcomes that were associated with structural system elements. Few were able to articulate their initiative's theory of change and underlying assumptions.
SIGNIFICANCE
ACT can support a more diverse and theory-based exploration of agri-food system initiatives' target actors, behaviors, and factors shaping behaviors. Development professionals can apply the ACT framework to design more effective TOCs that attend to diverse actor groups and leverage the factors influencing these actors' agency and behaviors. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace174845 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| publisherStr | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1748452025-12-08T09:54:28Z Agency and behavior change in agricultural research for development: New directions for guiding agri-food system transformations Freed, Sarah Voss, Rachel C. Falk, Thomas Rietveld, Anne M. Alary, Véronique Chimonyo, Vimbayi G.P. Frija, Aymen Guettou-Djurfeldt, Nadia Lestrelin, Guillaume Singh, Sonali Ndiwa, Aurillia Manjella Zingwena, Taurai agrifood systems agricultural research development theory of change agroecology CONTEXT Agri-food system transformations require change across sectors and actors within the system. Initiatives contributing to these changes need to connect system change processes to individual and collective agency and behaviors. OBJECTIVE We propose a conceptual framework on agency and behavior change for transforming agri-food systems (ACT framework). ACT emphasizes agri-food system actors' behaviors with attention to their power, agency, and the influence of structural agri-food system elements. Researchers can apply ACT to assess an initiative's contributions to changes in system elements through individual and collective behaviors. METHODS We conducted literature reviews and key informant interviews for 29 initiative case studies. Using ACT, we identified patterns in terms of initiatives' targeted actors, behaviors, and the factors shaping actors' agency and behavior. We then applied ACT in an initiative in Zimbabwe to develop a theory of change that links behavior change pathways with broader systems transformation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The reviewed initiatives focused heavily on shaping producers' behavior through knowledge transfer, less often considering other actors and structural challenges and opportunities. Key informants frequently reported enablers and impediments to achieve initiative outcomes that were associated with structural system elements. Few were able to articulate their initiative's theory of change and underlying assumptions. SIGNIFICANCE ACT can support a more diverse and theory-based exploration of agri-food system initiatives' target actors, behaviors, and factors shaping behaviors. Development professionals can apply the ACT framework to design more effective TOCs that attend to diverse actor groups and leverage the factors influencing these actors' agency and behaviors. 2025-08 2025-05-27T18:11:33Z 2025-05-27T18:11:33Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/174845 en Open Access Elsevier Freed, Sarah; Voss, Rachel C.; Falk, Thomas; Rietveld, Anne M.; Alary, Véronique; Chimonyo, Vimbayi G.P.; Frija, Aymen; et al. 2025. Agency and behavior change in agricultural research for development: New directions for guiding agri-food system transformations. Agricultural Systems 228(August 2025): 104399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104399 |
| spellingShingle | agrifood systems agricultural research development theory of change agroecology Freed, Sarah Voss, Rachel C. Falk, Thomas Rietveld, Anne M. Alary, Véronique Chimonyo, Vimbayi G.P. Frija, Aymen Guettou-Djurfeldt, Nadia Lestrelin, Guillaume Singh, Sonali Ndiwa, Aurillia Manjella Zingwena, Taurai Agency and behavior change in agricultural research for development: New directions for guiding agri-food system transformations |
| title | Agency and behavior change in agricultural research for development: New directions for guiding agri-food system transformations |
| title_full | Agency and behavior change in agricultural research for development: New directions for guiding agri-food system transformations |
| title_fullStr | Agency and behavior change in agricultural research for development: New directions for guiding agri-food system transformations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Agency and behavior change in agricultural research for development: New directions for guiding agri-food system transformations |
| title_short | Agency and behavior change in agricultural research for development: New directions for guiding agri-food system transformations |
| title_sort | agency and behavior change in agricultural research for development new directions for guiding agri food system transformations |
| topic | agrifood systems agricultural research development theory of change agroecology |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/174845 |
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