The potential of community interactions as inducers of agroecological transition: the case of a digital agricultural community

Purpose: To study community interactions and thus to highlight potential ways to support farmers’ professional transition toward more sustainable agriculture.Methodology: Mixed methods with a questionnaire, interviews, peer-to-peer interactions, and a theoretical framework to analyze drivers of indeterminacy that can trigger a break in farmers’ routines. The study took place in a digital agricultural community.Findings: We highlighted three potential drivers of indeterminacy in a professional transition process like Agroecological Transition (AET), as well as the role of community facilitator.Practical implications: Integrating into farmers’ training and extension services the issues of valuation to discuss how practices and objects are prised and evaluated. This can open a way for new meanings and values that support AET and support a departure from usual standards.Theoretical implications: Applying inquiry theory as an epistemic proposition to examine support for farmers’ professional transitions and their training in relation to their real work situation.Originality: We propose an articulation between the study of a digital platform and the analysis of the drivers of engagement in an agroecological transition process.