How and why did the transition process towards a fully sustainable production of cocoa beans in Bahia (Brazil) take place?

This paper theoretically models and empirically assesses the sociotechnical transition process experienced by a group of producers in southern Bahia State (Brazil). Driven by the search for economic sustainability in cocoa production, this group has achieved full sustainability through production chain upgrading, enabling the agroforestry system’s (cabruca) continuity in their properties. In order to understand how and why this process happened, our conceptual model advances on the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) framework, as it is an applied way of analyzing different niche transformations within the same regime, a typical situation in agrifood systems in emerging markets. Our analyses and empirical evidence suggest that interpersonal relationships play a crucial role in this process, particularly developing concepts and strategies, and in establishing operational structures. Rules and structure formalization may replace interpersonal relationships, as observed when the transition goes forward. Our findings evidence knowledge gathering, cooperation among actors, and information and support exchanging as critical factors to trigger the niche transition process.