AUTHOR=Elsner Friederike , Herzig Christian , Strassner Carola 

TITLE=Agri-food systems in sustainability transition: a systematic literature review on recent developments on the use of the multi-level perspective

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1207476

DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2023.1207476

ISSN=2571-581X

ABSTRACT=A sustainability transition (ST) of the agri-food system (AFS) is necessary due to manifold environmental and social exigencies. Scholars widely refer to the multi-level perspective (MLP) in the analysis of those transitions. The fast pace of articles covering AFS transitions, the evolving research on spaces between the three levels and the consisting unclear conceptualisation of MLP levels call for a systematic update on literature utilising MLP in AFS articles covering ST. As a basis for reporting, this systematic literature review uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The search was conducted on the database Scopus encompassing the period from 2018 to 2022. After the selection procedure, 58 articles were included in the review. We extracted data based on a combination of a concept-driven and data driven coding scheme. Qualitative research approaches outweigh and interrelated activities within the AFS are being analysed, predominantly in the agricultural sectors. The focus lays on ongoing transitions. The concept of sustainability and its direction is considered as given (e.g. through the case lens), without further elaborations. The niche constitutes the most prominent object of study and scholars refer to rather social innovative activities than technological innovations, providing distinct views on radicality and strategies to breakthrough. A space between niche and regime is being presented, with slightly distinct conceptualisations. Actors from both levels collaborate and exert transformative power. The regime is being presented as static but also more vividly evolving views on the regime are demonstrated. The landscape receives least attention and the focus lays on immaterial characteristics. Combinations of MLP with other frameworks have proven useful, for instance, regarding elaborations on agency on the landscape level. Generally, an unclear conceptualisation of regime and landscape persist, lacking a theoretical elaboration. Further research applying MLP should aim for a deeper examination of its theoretical construct, especially in terms of regime and landscape. More quantitative or mixed-methods research could supplement the current dominating qualitative approaches by testing and validating qualitatively constructed theories and phenomena.