NKJ has an open call for networks in agriculture and food. We want as many nordic researchers as possible to exchange knowledge, therefore we arrange a matchmaking event for you to find new colleagues, to elaborate your scientific project further and to get inspired.
When:December 10 2024, 13.30–16.00 CET Where: Online via Zoom, link will be sent out in advance of the meeting Registration:Register by filling out the form. Registration closes at December 6, 17.00 CET.
Welcome to join our online matchmaking event, to find out more about how to apply for funds from Nordic Agri Research (NKJ), hear from an ongoing network how they use their collaboration platform, and connect with other researchers who are looking for collaboration opportunities!
You will be inspired by a coordinator of an ongoing research network who will talk about what type of activities they have organised, what they have achieved so far and how they have benefitted from collaborating in the Nordic region. NKJ will also inform you about the current open callthat can fund your future networking activities.
AGENDA 13.30 Welcome and presentations 13.50 How to apply for funds from NKJ – tips and tricks 14.10 Inspiration talk from an ongoing Nordic research network, Ievina Sturite (NIBIO), CoverCropsNordic 14.30 Networking workshop with Malin von Essen 16.00 Finish
CONTACT
If you have any questions, send an email to
NKJ now welcomes applications from researcher networks in all aspects of food and agriculture, as part of their 60-year anniversary in 2025. By this call, NKJ wants to promote Nordic and transdisciplinary collaboration.
Deadline for application: 31 januari 2025 Apply by filling in the application form below and sending it to
The aim of the call is to promote Nordic collaboration between researchers from agricultural and food sectors by networking activities including workshops, conferences and seminars. Transdisciplinary networks between researchers and stakeholders are encouraged. This open call welcomes applicants from all fields of research within food and agriculture.
NKJ will host an onlinematchmaking event on December 10 2024 (information and registration here), where you will be able to connect with other researchers who are looking for collaboration opportunities. This event will also include information on the open call and an opportunity to ask questions.
To have the chance to be granted, the network should include applicants from at least three Nordic countries. Each gender must be represented by a minimum of 40% of the participants in the network, and NKJ welcomes applicants and participants of other genders. Young researchers should be included in the network.
Network outputs should be useful for the Nordic community and should include knowledge exchange across national borders through e.g. arranging workshops, seminars/webinars, scientific meetings or open conferences. The funding can be used to bring additional value to ongoing research projects through mentioned activities.
Successful applicants may receive funds from NKJ of up to 300.000 SEK for two years of network activities from April 2025 to March 2027, covering at most 50% of the total budget for the network. The total budget for the call is 2.000.000 SEK.
This call is open for applicants from all fields of research within food and agriculture!
The conference “Challenging Intersections: Securing Sustainable Food Systems in Turbulent Times” will take place in Helsinki, Finland, 26-27.5.2025. Please save the dates, registration opens February 1, 2025!
Food systems face multiple and by large, intertwined challenges. Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution call for immediate actions across the food system, from the fields to the plates. At the same time the geopolitical turbulences have raised food security concerns to the political agendas of the European states and the European Union. The meaning of food for our wellbeing and health is unquestionable and calls for stronger appreciation across society and by the people.
Dealing with such complex problems is a challenge for both research, policy makers, and food system actors. The intertwined challenges cannot be solved by focusing on a single element of the food system, or by a specific sectoral policy or individual scientific discipline. The 1st Nordic-Baltic food systems conference and policy forum invites researchers, policy makers and food system actors to take stock on the challenges related to securing sustainability food systems, share experiences across the Nordic and Baltic countries and look for innovative solutions and future collaborations.
The scientific committee welcomes all interested researchers, policy makers and food system actors to join the transdisciplinary discussions. Please distribute the call widely in your networks!
An NKJ co-funded network has gathered experts to promote sustainable food systems both at local, national, and global levels. The result is twelve targeted intervention areas, described in a detailed white paper.
The network met in person three times during the two year partnership. The picture is from the final meeting and launch of the White Paper on Nordic Food Systems in Copenhagen in June 2024. From the left: Bjørnar Komissar, Sabina Kuraj, Guðrún Ólafsdóttir, Gunnar Vittersø, Nína María Saviolidis, Iida Alasentie, Silvia Gaiani, E lisabeth S karðhamar Olsen, Robert VanOtterdijk, Michelle Williams and Anna Sofía Veyhe. Photo: University of Helsinki
Addressing the twelve intervention areas might contribute to achieving a green, socially sustainable, and competitive Nordic region. The white paper, containing the intervention areas, represents the vision of all those who contributed to it and builds on data and evidence collected in existing reports and projects.
The aim was neither to duplicate what has already been written on the Nordic sustainable food system nor to present a list of “easy recipes” to promote a Nordic vision. Rather, it aimed to reflect on several topics and intervention actions that should be prioritised, as they are often neglected in the current literature.
Cooperation will be the way
In NKJ, we often say that the Nordic countries are stronger together. They share sustainability commitments and similar food system challenges. By realising their potential and exploring their options and opportunities for joint action, the Nordic countries are expected to engage in discussions with other countries worldwide and be a leading example.
No ranking
All intervention areas are equally urgent and should not be addressed in isolation, due to Silvia Gaiani, part of the network that wants to implement a holistic approach that underlines structural changes to reach a common Nordic vision.
– If one intervention area is prioritized, the risk is that some others might be delayed, she says.
For policy makers – and public
The paper is meant to be read by policy makers, but also the public. It raises awareness and allows actors to reflect on and make sense of their roles in promoting action on sustainable food system solutions.
– We hope it can create a space for communication and negotiation, encouraging synergies between actors from the various sectors which are searching for and implementing sustainable food systems approaches, says Silvia Gaiani.
She has a dream about the future, where the white paper can play a role:
– Above all I would like the Nordic countries to set examples and best practices and lead the way to the establishment of sustainable, future proof food systems.
The change is necessary
On the other hand, if nothing changes, she has worries for the future. She sees increased inequalities, fragmented food systems, power imbalances in the food supply chain, loss of biodiversity, increased health risks and non communicable diseases, and unethical consumerism.
New pathway to the future
NKJ is currently sponsoring a follow-up on the previous network, entitled ”A Nordic Baltic framework for Sustainable Food Systems”. Its aim is to create a theoretical framework which will lead to the development a database for Nordic and Baltic sustainable food systems. A consortium has been organized, with eight participating Nordic institutions, and will collaborate with experts and international organizations.
– We are truly committed to support a just and green transition of the Nordic food systems. We are on a mission to create the change we want to live in, says Silvia Gaiani.
Popular Science Piece from NKJ network Cultured meat – Nordic take
Nordic consumers generally have a neutral to slightly positive perception of cultivated meat, particularly among men and younger individuals. Acceptance of cultivated meat is likely to increase if policies are designed and executed in alignment with the principles of Nordic welfare societies.
Contact: Jette Feveile Young,
Cultivated meat is a relatively new food concept, currently in the developmental stages in terms of both technology and consumer awareness/acceptance. While the USA, the Netherlands, and Israel are leading the way, the Nordic region features a significant food production and food & biotech industry, with a strong focus on green transition and innovation. Consequently, the Nordic countries have much to offer in developing cultivated meat from a technical perspective. Surveys conducted in Norway, Finland, and Denmark reveal that consumers in these countries have a neutral to slightly optimistic view of cultivated meat, particularly among men and younger individuals. Familiarity with cultivated meat appears to enhance acceptance, and consumers who are surrounded by positive attitudes and intentions toward cultivated meat within their social networks are more inclined to try it.
However, attitudes and engagement alone are not sufficient. Cultivated meat production in the Nordic countries must include solutions acceptable to the typical Nordic consumer, with a positive environmental footprint being a crucial factor for the endorsement. For the Nordic consumers to accept cultivated meat, sustainability aspects such as energy consumption, land use, raw material source and ethics must be addressed. Generally, cultivated meat based on non-GMO cells and locally accessible raw material for cell media and scaffolding is considered a favorable solution in Nordic countries. Cultivated meat is likely to be embraced only if policies are designed and implemented in the spirit of the Nordic welfare societies. This means ensuring that no one, including farmers or traditional industries, is left behind, while also addressing the environmental, societal, and ethical aspects of cultivated meat.
Nordic consumers’ beliefs about the necessity of cultivated meat and its impacts on the global economy are significant predictors of their intentions to buy and consume it. Additionally, positive first impressions of cultivated meat drive intentions and dietary substitution, even though familiarity and knowledge associated with cultivated meat are somewhat limited.
Jette Feveile Young at the 2nd International Cellular Agriculture Conference 11-12.06.2024.
The network Cultivated Meat – Nordic take has focused, from start to finish, on information, awareness and societal debates as crucial factors for engaging stakeholders and gaining consumer acceptance. Information about the novel concept of cultivated meat has been communicated through podcasts, popular media, scientific media, festivals, radio and television. These network activities have been interwoven, leading to common international and collaborative applications and conference organization. Both Norway and Denmark have successfully attracted large grants covering technical topics as well as ethics and social sciences. These projects, with their broad scopes and activities, are well-suited for vital interdisciplinary collaborations and serve as essential vital platforms from which to communicate scientific breakthroughs and engage with the public in the Nordic countries.
THE NETWORK: Cultured meat – Nordic take:
The technology of cultured meat is still at the early stages and many concepts have yet to be investigated. The network has contributed to increase the awareness of this topic among stakeholders (academia, companies, investors, and different types of organization) and its emerging activities in the Nordic countries. Following the first stakeholder seminar in 2022 (online due to Covid-19) some stakeholders made contact of which a few led to collaborations and also direct funding.
Köckner, C.A., Engel, L., Moritz, J., Burton, R.J., Young, J.F., Kidmose, U., Ryynänen, T. 2022. Milk, Meat, and Fish from the petri dish – Which attributes would make cultured proteins (un)attractive and for whom? Results from a Nordic survey. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 6, 17 s., 847931 DOI: 0.3389/fsufs.2022.847931
Engel, L., Vilhelmsen, K., Richter, I., Moritz, J., Ryynänen, T., Young, J.F., Burton, R.J.F., Kidmose U., Klöckner, C.A. (2024). Psychological factors influencing consumer intentions to consume cultured meat, fish and dairy. Appetite. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107501
Rasmussen, M.K., Gold, J., Kaiser, M.W., Moritz, J., Räty, N., Rönning, S.B., Ryynänen, T., Skrivergaard, S., Ström, A., Therkildsen, M., Tuomisto, H.L., Young, J.F. (2024). Critical review of cultivated meat from a Nordic perspective. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 144: 104336. DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2024.104336
Wali, M.E., Karinen, H., Rønning, S.B., Dorca-Preda, T., Skrivergaard, S., Rasmussen, M.K., Young, J.F., Therkildsen, M., Mogensen, L., Ryynänen, T., Tuomisto, H.L. (2024). Life cycle assessment of culture media with alternative compositions for cultured meat production. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. Published online 1 Aug 2024. DOI: 10.1007/s11367-024-02350-6
“Value Creation of Cross Border Cooperation for Field Trial Experiments”
This webinar aims to explore how cross-border cooperation can overcome challenges faced by smaller research projects, which might otherwise be overlooked, and how it can facilitate broader variety testing and screening. By working together, we can increase the size and diversity of our datasets, including a wider range of climatic conditions and soil types across the Nordic region.
Participants will have the opportunity to:
Present ideas for cross-border projects
Gain inspiration for new projects
Identify potential collaborators across the Nordic region
Learn from others’ experiences in managing cross-Nordic projects
Discover potential funding sources to support cross-border Nordic projects
Discussion Points:
Identifying research areas and applied field trial experiments that would benefit from a wider collaboration
Discussing the future of field trial experiments in this context
Leveraging the Nordic field trial system (NFTS) as a digital hub for data collection and analysis, fostering cross-border cooperation
Exploring innovative ideas for implementing cross-border cooperation, sharing data, and knowledge on technology and methods
Nine new networks are granted funding from NKJ from 2024. The fokus of the call was all aspects of food and agriculture.
The NKJ board made a decision to fund nine new networks, during their last meeting in the end of February. The number of applications was all time high, and the number of funded networks also turned out higher than usual. The applications was of high standard and the networks highly relevant, and therefore the board found it easy to grant more of them.
The total sum shared between the networks is 2 500 000 SEK, which is much higher than usual, due to the large number of granted networks.
The focus of the call this time was broad and open for networks in all aspects of food and agricultural research. The aim of the call was to facilitate collaboration between researchers in the Nordic countries, increase synergies and bridge gaps between research and practice. And in the end, nine applicants was found responding best to the requirements.
Congratulations to all granted networks, and welcome to work for a sustainable agriculture sector together with NKJ!
Next chance to apply for funding for research networks from NKJ will be in 2025. Sign upp for the NKJ newsletter to know when the next call opens!
These are the new NKJ researcher network:
2024-01 Nordic network of agricultural data scientists
The NKJ co-funded networks Swedish Centre for Animal Welfare (SCAW) and Nordic Network for Communicating Animal Welfare (NordCAW) has arranged seminars and meetings during the past year.
The seminars and meetings have evoked discussions regarding the need for change in equestrian sports and what measures need to be taken in Sweden, the Nordic countries, and Europe as a whole.
Some key points from the activities are:
• the need for improved assessment and control of horses before and during competitions
• the need for change of focus from the horse’s head position, to how the horse carries itself
• the need for assessment of conflict behaviours during competition and warm-up
• training based on learning theories adapted to the horses’ condition and prerequisites
• need for changes on what and how equipment are being used
• To accomplish any kind of positive changes towards sustainable equestrianism it has also been stressed the importance of barriers analysis and collaboration between different actors, such as authorities, sports associations, veterinarians, academia and NGO’s. All have a different role to play, and all are needed for long-term change.
NKJ has an open call for networks in agriculture and food. We want as many nordic researchers as possible to exchange knowledge, therefore we arrange a matchmaking day for you to find new colleagues, to elaborate your scientific project further and to get inspired.
When:December 14th 2023, 13.30–16.00 CET Where:Online via Zoom, link will be sent out in advance of the meeting Registration: Register to the event by sending an email (name, research area and institution) to
The main goal of the Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ is to establish 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030.
On the matchmaking day we take a deep dive into how you as a researcher can utilize living labs and lighthouses. We also offer an opportunity to connect with other researchers who are looking for collaboration opportunities on research connected to living labs and/or light houses. Matchmaking with other researchers will be carried out in smaller groups to maximaze the chance for the participants to gain new contacts in their own area of interest.
The groups will mainly focus on food and agricultural research in living labs/light houses connected to:
Climate resilience
Soil health
Plant health
You will be inspired by speakers from light houses and living labs in the Nordic region. NKJ will also inform you about the current open callthat can fund your future networking activities.
AGENDA 13.30 Welcome 13.35 Inspiration talk: PLEN Living Labs 13.55 Inspiration talk: cooperation on light houses, Mære landbruksskole 14.15 How to apply for funds from NKJ: tips and trix 14.30 Networking workshop 16.00 Finish
OPEN CALL: NKJ now welcomes applications from researcher networks in all aspects of food and agriculture. We want to facilitate collaboration between researchers in the Nordic countries, increase synergies and bridge gaps between research and practice.
Deadline for application: 31 januari 2024
This call is open to applicants from all fields of research within food and agriculture. NKJ wants to facilitate collaboration between researchers in the Nordic countries and link national research projects where considerable positive outcomes can be reached through a wider regional scope. Nordic collaboration increase synergies in agriculture and food sector research.
NKJ supports the creation of Nordic networks of researchers that can make it easier to apply for funding and participate in European collaborations e.g. Horizon Europe.
To have the chance to be granted, the network should include applicants from at least three Nordic countries. Each gender must be represented by a minimum of 40% of the participants in the network, and NKJ welcomes applicants and participants of other genders. Young researchers should be included in the network.
Network outputs should be useful for the Nordic community and should include knowledge exchange across national borders.
You can apply for maximum 300.000 SEK, and you will need co-financing of at least 50% of the total budget.
The focus areas in the NKJ strategy can give you some inspiration:
Increase sustainability and resilience in agriculture and food production in a growing bioeconomy
Strengthen the Nordic region’s position in agricultural and food research within Europe
Use land resources as a basis for value creation and regional development as well as improved supply capacity, reduced environmental and climate impact and better adaptation to the climate
Strengthen the knowledge base for sustainable reindeer husbandry
Strengthen and develop the New Nordic Food project to promote Nordic food culture and strengthen the food system
Strengthen equality within the bioeconomy with a particular focus on gender and the position of children and youth
BUT this call is open for applicants from all fields of research within food and agriculture!
Welcome to join our online matchmaking event, to find out more about how to apply for funds from Nordic Agri Research (NKJ), hear from an ongoing network how they use their collaboration platform, and connect with other researchers who are looking for collaboration opportunities!
