New publication: niche orchestration and agroecological transition in Senegal
The CREATES team contributes to a new scientific article published in Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions (Elsevier). Titled “Niche orchestration in fragmented ecologies of intermediation: evidence from agroecological transitions in Senegal”, it is co-authored by Patrick Bottazzi, CREATES Scientific Director, alongside R. Belmin (CIRAD), B. Turnheim (INRAE), B. Gaillard, S. Boillat, A. Mbodj, and A. Loconto.
What is this paper about?
Agroecological transitions in the Global South often unfold within fragmented ecologies of intermediation — a multitude of NGOs, donors, research bodies, and farmer organisations operating in a dispersed manner. The paper shows how, in this context, a locally rooted NGO (Enda Pronat) managed to coordinate these actors by mobilizing the DyTAES coalition (Dynamique pour une transition agroécologique au Sénégal).
The concept of niche orchestration
The authors introduce the concept of niche orchestration: a governance mechanism in which a central, grounded actor coordinates an ecology of intermediation to generate collective momentum. Orchestration is not a one-off act of management, but an iterative, multi-scalar process that unfolds over time through the strategic integration of multiple systemic intermediation functions.
Key findings
By tracing the history of the Senegalese agroecological niche (1980–2025), the study shows how an NGO was able to:
- Unite dispersed local initiatives around a shared vision
- Connect grassroot experiments to territorial coalitions, national policy arenas, and transnational agendas
- Accelerate the transition by centralizing intermediation functions usually spread across multiple actors
The Senegalese experience demonstrates both the potential and the risks of niche orchestration, particularly concerning dependency and co-optation.
The paper is open access: DOI 10.1016/j.eist.2025.101095