Intermediation and digitalisation in sustainability transitions: a case report from the Australian agrifood sector

Abstract In the context of increasing digitalisation in sustainability transitions, intermediaries play critical roles in building legitimacy and trust in socio-technical tools and technologies. Understanding their contributions is essential to enabling system-level change. This study examines the roles of niche, process, and user intermediaries in advancing digital technologies for knowledge and information exchange in sustainability transitions. Using qualitative research methods, we interviewed 31 intermediaries involved in developing a digital tool within the Australian agrifood sector. We developed a conceptual framework to analyse how intermediaries’ broker and configure knowledge between actor groups. The framework considers how their intermediation work is influenced by broader systemic directions in sustainability transitions and shaped by the demands of an increasingly digitised context. We found that digitalisation added complexity to intermediary work by requiring greater attention to users’ digital literacy and contextual needs, influencing how intermediaries interpret and communicate information. The intermediaries also focussed on building trust amid past scepticism toward new technologies. Viewing niche, process, and user intermediaries as an interconnected cohort revealed how collaboration across these types strengthened their collective impact. Together, they facilitated the development, promotion, and uptake of digital tools supporting drought resilience. This study contributes empirical and conceptual insights into how digitalisation shapes intermediaries’ activities in sustainability transitions.