Farming Between Local Specificities and Structural Discrepancies: Perceived Injustices and the Culture of Resistance in Sustainable Agrifood Transitions

This article explores how farmers in Thessaly, Greece, perceive and respond to sustainability policies such as the EU Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and focus groups, we map perceived injustices and how they are reflected in everyday practices, particularly after recent destructive storms. The research shows that farmers do not dismiss sustainability goals but filter them through what they perceive as injustices: policies disconnected from local realities, market asymmetries, knowledge gaps and identity neglect. These perceptions foster cultures of resistance, expressed through actions like selective participation, symbolic compliance, or the continuation of local practices that deviate from standardized frameworks. Mostly silent, these performances can hinder the realization of EU policy objectives. Building on performative justice and resistance theory, we outline four cultures of resistance: rejection of uniform financial logic, symbolic compliance, distrust of advisory systems, and disillusionment with collective structures. We show that cultures of resistance are not loud protests but quieter strategies through which farmers redefine sustainability on their own terms. We argue that agrifood transitions require treating justice as foundational: only by engaging with farmers’ practices, knowledge, and identities can more inclusive and resilient pathways emerge, moving sustainability goals from policy imaginaries to attainable, livable horizons.