Exploring small-scale agricultural producers' transition to alternative food practices in rural China from a socio-technical perspective

My dissertation research examines small-scale agricultural producers' transition to alternative food practices in rural China from a socio-technical perspective. My research focuses on the motivations and experiences of smallholder farmers and the social, cultural and technical processes that enable them to make the transition to become alternative agricultural producers. Conceptually, my research draws on the anthropology of technology and skill and adopts a socio-technical approach to shed light on the specific social and technical resources and embodied skilled practices that agricultural producers utilise and perform in processes where they shift from the productivist agricultural system to producer-driven alternative food networks (AFNs).