Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This thesis examines how three agroecological assessment tools (TAPE, LUME and OASIS) conceptualise resilience in Swedish agriculture, with particular attention to energy dependence, preparedness and structural vulnerability. Drawing on political agroecology and rural development perspectives, the study compares three agroecological assessment tools with farmers experiences of energy dependence, vulnerability, adaptive capacity and preparedness. Using a qualitative research design combining tool analysis, semi-structured interviews and field observations on Swedish farms, the study identifies recurring patterns related to energy dependence, resilience and preparedness. The analysis draws on by political agroecology, which views agricultural systems as embedded within broader political-economic and infrastructural structures.

The findings reveal a mismatch between farmers experiences and the way resilience is presented within the three agroecological assessment tools. While farmers describe resilience in terms of maintaining essential functions during disruptions, including access to for example electricity, fuel, water, heating and feeding systems, these dimensions remain implicit or absent within these agroecological assessment tools. Instead, within these tools, resilience is primarily framed indirectly through indicators related to ecological practices, productivity and input efficiency. The study demonstrates that energy dependence functions as a structural condition shaping agricultural production, rather than as a simple technical input. Therefore, this thesis argues that current agroecological assessment frameworks (TAPE, LUME and OASIS) risk overlooking vulnerabilities related to energy systems, infrastructure and external dependencies. It further highlights the need for these agroecological assessment tools and agricultural policy frameworks to more explicitly address energy dependence, preparedness and structural vulnerability within highly industrialised farming systems such as Sweden. By foregrounding farmers lived experiences, the findings demonstrate that resilience in contemporary agriculture cannot be separated from broader socio-technical and political-economic conditions shaping food production and rural development.