Category: Strategic project

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Opportunities for farm diversification can make the young stay

Better prospects for young people in rural areas to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities may help making them stay, contributing to growth and prosperity of the rural communities. A new policy brief provides recommendations for farm diversification for a vibrant future for the Nordic and Baltic countryside.

 

A new policy brief from the Bioeconomy Programme (a strategic project of the Nordic Council of Ministers, managed by SNS and NKJ) presents initiatives and challenges related to young rural entrepreneurs in the Nordic and Baltic region. The aim is to improve policy-makers’ understanding of farm diversification when designing policies to attract and incentivise young people to live and work on the countryside.

The policy brief gives a view on the obstacles for making the youth stay in the countryside, as well as it gives examples of farm diversification and solutions to the problem.

The policy brief gives the following policy recommendations:

Expand funding mechanisms
•  Expand direct subsidies and low-interest loans that focus on young farmers who aim to diversify their businesses to lower barriers such as access to land and equipment. This recommendation focuses on attracting, retaining and enabling young entrepreneurs in rural areas to explore new business opportunities and farm diversification.

Spread awareness of the potential of working within the bioeconomy
• Initiate public campaigns to provide a spotlight to young, rural entrepreneurs with a highlight on female entrepreneurs, and their diversified businesses. This recommendation focuses on making rural entrepreneurship more attractive to young people, emphasizing the unique value propositions and potential of rural lifestyles, and showcasing female entrepreneurs as role models to inspire other women to become farm successors.

Facilitate knowledge sharing and build a stronger group identity
• Support existing youth clusters, such as young farmers associations and coordinate new cross-regional events that bring together young farmers and rural entrepreneurs from across the Nordic-Baltic region. This recommendation focuses on facilitating knowledge sharing, networking opportunities, and building a stronger group identity among young rural entrepreneurs.

Investigate how to lower the high regulatory burden on diversified farms
• Launch a comprehensive study to investigate what support or training programs, financial assistance, or regulatory streamlining measures are needed to reduce the regulatory burden on diversified farms. This recommendation focuses on supporting diversified farms and encouraging farm diversification by lowering the deterring impact of high compliance and regulatory demands, such as health and safety standards or environmental regulations.

 

Download the policy brief for free!

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How the Nordic Baltic regions can manage the challenges in plant nutrition supply

The Nordic bioeconomy faces significant challenges in securing access to plant nutrition. To address these issues, the Bioeconomy Programme, led by Nordic Agri Research (NKJ), Nordic Forest Research (SNS) and funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, has published a new report.

The report maps ongoing initiatives, identifies key challenges, and proposes preliminary policy measures to ensure a stable and sustainable plant nutrition supply in the Nordic and Baltic regions.

Background of the report

Global food production depends heavily on a stable supply of plant nutrition. Disruptions in this supply chain can have severe consequences for food security. Against this backdrop, the Bioeconomy Programme initiated a study to:

  • Map ongoing initiatives and activities aimed at securing plant nutrition supply in the Nordic and Baltic regions.
  • Identify risks and challenges associated with these initiatives.
  • Propose preliminary policy actions to strengthen self-sufficiency and reduce vulnerabilities.

Key findings and conclusions

The report reveals that several promising initiatives are under development, particularly in Sweden, with the potential to significantly reduce reliance on imported plant nutrition. These initiatives vary in scale and timeframe, with some already in production and others planned to launch before 2030.

Despite these positive developments, the report identifies several key challenges:

  • Uncertainty about future demand: Producers express concerns about whether consumers are willing to pay for fossil-free but potentially more expensive products.
  • Dependence on imported raw materials: Many initiatives rely on imported inputs, which can create vulnerabilities during global supply disruptions.
  • Access to green electricity: The increased demand for renewable energy may lead to bottlenecks, particularly in northern Sweden, where many projects are concentrated.
  • Regulatory barriers: Existing legislation and permit processes are often not adapted to new and innovative technologies, causing delays in implementation.

Recommended policy actions

To address these challenges, the report suggests several policy measures:

  • Establish common goals and strategies: Develop a unified vision for plant nutrition supply in the Nordic and Baltic regions.
  • Introduce economic incentives: Provide subsidies for fossil-free production and/or taxation on traditional, more environmentally harmful methods.
  • Reform regulations: Adapt legislation and permit processes to facilitate the implementation of new technologies.
  • Create networks and platforms: Promote collaboration among key stakeholders through Nordic/Baltic networks for knowledge exchange and joint development.

By implementing these measures, the Nordic and Baltic countries can strengthen their self-sufficiency in plant nutrition, reduce vulnerabilities to global disruptions, and foster a sustainable bioeconomy in the region.

For more detailed information, you can access the full report here.

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20 years of collaboration on the Nordic food culture was celebrated

The kitchen manifesto for new Nordic food turns 20 years. It was celebrated with a workshop and a Nordic dinner in connection with the minister meeting in Karlstad.
Photo: Frida Hagman, Länsstyrelsen Värmland

 

The purpose of the workshop was to pave the way for continued collaboration in food culture in the Nordic region. The Nordic region is a pioneer in sustainable food production and a reference internationally for a healthy food culture, and we want to work to maintain that position. The participants discussed which themes are important for the upcoming work. Among other things, the discussion touched values, competitiveness, proteins of the future and innovation.

The results of the workshop were then discussed at the meeting of the Nordic Council of Ministers for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Agriculture, Food and Forestry (MR-FJLS) on 19 June. The foundation was also laid for a dialogue that will be arranged in the autumn, and where many actors in various parts of Nordic gastronomy and food production will be involved. The dialogue will further elaborate the Nordic food culture for the future.

More about the Karlstad declaration

20 years of shared, Nordic food culture and collaboration must be celebrated properly! It was done through an evening menu by Christoffer Schyman at Matstudion in Karlstad, based on local ingredients and drinks in a New Nordic spirit. During the evening, speeches were given by Camilla Bender Larson, chairman of the steering group for New Nordic Food, and Judith Kyst, director at Madkulturen and representative in the steering group for new Nordic food. Christina Möller and Carl Jan Granqvist also spoke during the evening about the importance of gastronomy, the joint work with food culture and the importance of food enjoyment.

 

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Hackathons can help fill the future need for bioenergy

The Nordic-Baltic region faces urgent challenges in reducing CO2 emissions, requiring a joint effort towards sustainable energy solutions. Leveraging bioenergy solutions emerges as a key strategy to meet emission goals. It offers the potential to diminish reliance on fossil fuels across various sectors including heating, electricity generation, and transportation.

Text: From the report “Bioenergy – Knowledge transfer in the Nordic-Baltic region for increased uptake of sustainable bioenergy”

 

Find the report

 

Commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers and supported through the Bioeconomy programme, this scoping paper delves into the intricate landscape of bioenergy innovations within the region. Employing a mixed-method approach combining desktop research and interviews, the study identifies opportunities for further knowledge transfer activities in the Nordic-Baltic region.

A technology neutral approach is vital for knowledge exchange activities as highlighted by experts included in the study. The interviews moreover led to the following observations:

✓ Current biomass challenges are directly linked to geopolitical conflicts

✓ Bioenergy has to rely on by-products, low value biomass and waste

✓ Bioenergy innovations are required to be flexible

✓ Regional areas of excellence provide opportunity for knowledge sharing

✓ Nordic-Baltic strongholds lie in integrated systems of bioenergy solutions

✓ Nordic-Baltic experts would benefit from a cooperation platform and regional funding

✓ Universities are a useful meeting place for experts to build solutions for local contexts

The Nordic-Baltic region gathers a wealth of expertise and industry interest in biomass use for energy production. Additionally, the region showcases various integrated system solutions for bioenergy—knowledge that could be applicable to other areas lacking such comprehensive approaches. This context provides a fertile foundation for fostering regional knowledge exchange and facilitating the adoption of innovative practices. Yet, amidst geopolitical uncertainties and fluctuating markets, the need for adaptability and flexibility in bioenergy strategies becomes apparent.

In response to these findings, a series of recommendations are proposed for further knowledge sharing activities:

✓ Facilitating industry and academy interactions via a Nordic-Baltic cooperation platform

✓ Supporting existing networks active in the region

✓ Creating a Nordic- Baltic call to promote regional cooperation

✓ Identifying successful integrated local solutions for knowledge sharing

✓ Involving tomorrow’s talents: organisation of Nordic-Baltic hackathons

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Study visit for increased gender equality

PLEN Living Labs at the University of Copenhagen in Taastrup welcomed students from Lars-Erik Larsson high school in Lund, to present research projects and the latest techniques. The goal was to create interest for the digitalised green sector – especially among the female students.

Scrolla ner för svensk text

 

 

The study visit was a pilot project and organized by NKJ and SNS in collaboration with the Nordic Testbed Network. PLEN Living Labs is part of the Nordic Testbed Network, which in turn is run by NKJ and SNS.

– When the evaluation is done, we will see if the students found it as exciting as we do! In that case, we’ll do it again, says Sofie Andersson, project coordinator at NKJ.

– The  purpose is to broaden the students’ understanding of what it can mean to work in the bioeconomy and thereby increase interest among female students in choosing the currently male-dominated educations connected to digitalisation. The sector needs all the smart minds it can get, and then we can’t shut half of the population out! It’s important that everyone in society is represented by those who develop the future technology.

The students, at their final year in high school, were shown how the research is conducted and the purpose with it, but also how the researchers have ended up where they are today. They have all taken more or less crooked paths to their jobs with technology and research for the future green sector. The students themselves are just about to choose which path they will take towards their working life. Maybe they got new ideas about what they want to do after visiting PLEN Living Labs?

Sofia Isgar thought it was nice to get in direct contact with the researchers at PLEN Living Labs and find out more about what an education in the field of natural sciences can lead to.

– I probably knew that agriculture and forestry were quite unequal industries, but not that it is the same in research, she says.

The visit to PLEN Living Labs hasn’t completely convinced her to work in the green sector, but she is planning to go ahead with something in the natural sciences.

Follow the Lars-Erik Larsson students to PLEN Living Labs:

 

 

Swedish text

PLEN Living Labs på Köpenhamns Universitet i Taastrup tog emot studenter från Lars-Erik Larsson-gymnasiet i Lund, för att visa upp sin forskning och den senaste tekniken inom det gröna området – inte minst riktat till de kvinnliga studenterna.

Studiebesöket var ett pilotprojekt och anordnades av NKJ och SNS i samarbete med Nordic Testbed Network. PLEN Living Labs är en del av Nordic Testbed Network, som i sin tur drivs av NKJ och SNS.

– När utvärderingen är gjord får vi se om studenterna tyckte att det var lika spännande som vi tycker! I så fall gör vi om det, säger Sofie Andersson, projektsamordnare på NKJ.

– Meningen är att visa hur intressant den gröna sektorn är, inte minst för kvinnor. Sektorn behöver alla smarta hjärnor den kan få, och då kan vi inte stänga ute halva befolkningen! Det är viktigt att alla i samhället är representerade av dem som utvecklar framtidens teknik.

Sistaårsstudenterna fick höra om hur forskningen bedrivs och vad den går ut på, men också hur forskarna har hamnat där de är idag. De har alla tagit mer eller mindre krokiga vägar till sina jobb med teknik och forskning för framtiden i den gröna sektorn. Studenterna själva är i startgroparna att välja vilken väg de ska ta mot sitt arbetsliv. Kanske har de fått nya idéer om vad de vill göra efter besöket på PLEN Living Labs?

Sofia Isgar tyckte det var kul att få direktkontakt med forskarna på PLEN Living Labs och få veta mer om vad man kan göra med en utbildning inom det naturvetenskapliga området.

– Jag visste nog att jord- och skogsbruk var rätt ojämställda branscher, men inte att det är likadant inom forskningen, säger hon.

Besöket på PLEN Living Labs har inte helt övertygat henne om att arbeta inom den gröna sektorn, men något inom naturvetenskap kan det ändå bli till slut.

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Recommendations to strengthen the Nordic bioeconomy

Expanded Nordic cooperation is the key to creating a more resilient bioeconomy, especially in the wake of polycrises. NKJ and SNS can now present a policy brief with recommendations to strengthen and develop the Nordic bioeconomy.

 

The basis for the recommendations are desktop studies of Nordic initiatives on crises management and resilience, and multiple dialogues with experts from the Nordic bioeconomy.

Addressing the challenges of one crisis, let alone multiple crises affecting the region simultaneously, requires coordinated efforts. Many different perspectives must be taken into account and how the different countries’ bioeconomies work must be clear.

The potential for more joint Nordic efforts to strengthen the resilience of the bioeconomy looks promising. The countries have similar social structures and topographies, there are already companies operating throughout the region, similar political ambitions in, for example, climate measures and existing networks and initiatives create good conditions for Nordic cooperation. It has also been shown that there is a strong interest in jointly meeting the challenges associated with crisis preparedness and crisis management in the bioeconomy.

This policy report presents five policy recommendations. Nordic decision-makers and stakeholders can enable effective progress towards a more resilient Nordic bioeconomy by:

1 Developing a joint roadmap for a resilient Nordic bioeconomy

2 Strengthening the resilience in the Nordic -bioeconomy value chains by identifying and addressing critical dependencies

3 Enabling an efficient, accessible, and safe -sharing of high-quality bioeconomy data across the Nordic region

4 Supporting knowledge sharing between Nordic crises communication functions

5 Integrating the recommendations for a more -resilient Nordic bioeconomy in the development of the Nordic Cooperation Program for 2025-2030

 

Read more details about the recommendations, and download the policy brief here

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Finland on the right path to the future reindeer husbandry

Reindeer husbandry in Finland is on the right track. Conservation of biodiversity, different interests in land use and sustainable, future reindeer pasturing – everything is included in the plan that a working group has put together. This was presented and discussed at a webinar arranged by NKJ on Tuesday 9 May.
Svensk text längre ner

 

Sirviö Tapani, chairman of the working group, was the first speaker at the webinar. He spoke about the goal of the working group to bring together authorities, reindeer husbandry practitioners, researchers and nature conservation organizations to take part in a dialogue. It turned out to be a fruitful dialogue, that resulted in eight goals for the future.

The eight goals were presented on the webinar by Sirpa Rasmus, the reporting secretary in the working group.

1 The first point deals with the reindeer grazing species-specific management and utilization plans for the reindeer pastures that have been developed, that are being tested in pilot trials in 2023. The working group suggests listening to the experiences from the trials, and proceeding with the plans as they are formulated today. A reduction in the number of reindeer by 7% is considered by the working group to be sufficient to prevent grazing pressure from becoming too heavy.

2 The working group believe it is important to develop a producer organization in order to strengthen the bargaining power of reindeer husbandry on the market, and thereby increase the possibilities for good profitability.

3 Climate change affects reindeer husbandry. The legislation that provides compensation for losses in connection with extreme weather needs to be developed, as well as the industry’s own tools to reduce the effects of weather- and environmental conditions, as well as animal diseases.

4 Today’s price and operational support should be changed to a support that is not linked to production volume, to become an income transfer for the producer. This needs to be further investigated and a new system introduced by way of a transition period.

5 Reindeer herding is a living part of the cultural heritage of the local communities in the reindeer herding area, and is strongly linked to the language and other culture of the indigenous people. The proposal is to investigate through research whether the current support system fulfills its purpose.

6 A foundation could function as a tool to simultaneously secure the reindeer’s habitat and maintain and strengthen a diverse mountain nature. The two interests often coincide.

7 Land use issues become more and more tangible and create conflicts. Therefore, active work must be done to create dialogue between the parties that are affected.

8 Monitoring and observation systems are important for reindeer husbandry to be able to adapt to new conditions.

Another issue touched upon by the working group is predator management. This was also an issue that was raised in the discussion by the participants of the webinar. The working group thinks it is necessary to find models for how to avoid predator damage to reindeer, while following the plans for the management of the predator tribes that exist. Reindeer management, land use, but also the examination of the damage and the estimation of the predator strains can be developed in this respect.

Sirpa Rasmus presentation

 

Svensk text
Rennäringen i Finland är på rätt väg. Bevarande av den biologiska mångfalden, olika intressen av markanvändning och ett hållbart, framtida renbete – allt ryms i planen som en arbetsgrupp har lagt upp. Detta framkom vid ett webbinarium arrangerat av NKJ tisdagen 9 maj.

 

Sirviö Tapani, ordförande för arbetsgruppen, inledde webbinariet genom att berätta om hur arbetsgruppen har velat sammanföra myndigheter, rennäring, forskare och naturvårdsorganisationer i en dialog. Det blev en fruktbar dialog, som också ledde arbetsgruppen fram till åtta mål för framtiden.

De åtta målen presenterades på webbinariet av Sirpa Rasmus, rapporteringssekreterare i arbetsgruppen.

1 Den första punkten handlar om de renbeteslagsspecifika skötsel- och nyttjandeplaner för renbetesmarkerna som tagits fram, och också testas i pilotförsök under 2023. Arbetsgruppen föreslår att man lyssnar till erfarenheterna från försöken, och går vidare med planerna så som de är formulerade idag. En minskning av antalet renar med 7% anser arbetsgruppen räcker för att betestrycket inte ska bli för stort.

2 Arbetsgruppen tycker att det är viktigt att utveckla en producentorganisation för att stärka rennäringens förhandlingskraft på marknaden, och därmed öka möjligheterna för en god lönsamhet.

3 Klimatförändringarna påverkar rennäringen. Lagstiftningen som ger ersättning vid förluster i samband med extremt väder behöver utvecklas, liksom näringen egna verktyg för att minska effekterna av väder- och naturförhållanden och djursjukdomar.

4 Dagens pris- och insatsstöd bör förändras till ett stöd som inte är kopplat till produktionen, för att bli en inkomst för producenten. Detta behöver utredas och ett nytt system införas via en övergångsperiod.

5 Renskötseln är en levande del av lokalsamfundens kulturarv i renskötselområdet, och är starkt kopplad till ursprungsfolkets språk och övriga kultur. Förslaget är att genom forskning utreda om det nuvarande stödsystemet fyller sitt syfte.

6 En stiftelse skulle kunna fungera som ett verktyg för att samtidigt trygga renarnas livsrum och upprätthålla och stärka en mångsidig fjällnatur. De båda intressena sammanfaller ofta.

7 Markanvändningsfrågor blir mer och mer påtagliga och skapar konflikter. Därför måste ett aktivt arbete göras för att skapa dialog mellan de parter som påverkas.

8 Övervaknings- och observationssystem är viktiga för att rennäringen ska kunna anpassa sig till nya förhållanden.

En annan fråga som berörts av arbetsgruppen är rovdjurshanteringen. Det var också en fråga som deltagarna på webbinariet tog upp till diskussion. Arbetsgruppen tycker att det är nödvändigt att hitta modeller för hur rovdjursskador på ren ska undvikas, samtidigt som man följer de planer för hanteringen av rovdjursstammarna som finns. Renskötseln, markanvändningen, men också granskningen av skadorna och uppskattningen av rovdjursstammarna kan utvecklas i det här avseendet.

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Here are the projects that will create our future food

Nordic food has achieved new milestones: four projects were granted funding in the New Nordic Food latest call.

 

1 Food as a pedagogical tool is a project addressing the challenge of sustainable eating habits as it is strongly connected to climate change, biodiversity loss, resilience of Nordic communities, low food self-sufficiency and loss of traditional knowledge. It also address teachers need of relevant and updated educational material and methods on sustainable food production and consumption.

This will be achieved by gathering, co-creating with pupils and testing food education models for schools (pupils ages 12-16) were school meals, food and route of food function as a practical pedagogical tool.

The project is a part of the bigger project Food education for future (FeFF), which aims to increase teachers’ and municipal employees’ knowledge of sustainable food and how an increased degree of self-sufficiency of food can be an adaptation to counteract climate change and support resilience in Nordic areas.

 

2 Building a New Nordic Food and sustainability program is a program with the long-term objectives to ensure an increased focus on sustainability and New Nordic Food within UWC Red Cross Nordic as a showcase for other similar schools and actors. The three primary short-term objectives of the project are to
1) Change the culinary profile of the school food into a Nordic Food and sustainable profile
2) Increase students’ knowledge and capacity regarding local foods and sustainability
3) Bring the knowledge from the project into humanitarian work with young people attending Red Cross ‘summer camps’ and students from ‘lejrskoler’ located at the UWC RCN campus.

 

3 Ungdommens Madmøde is a part of the bigger project Madens Folkemøde, which is a recurring event regarding food and food systems including among other things, master classes, workshops and food experiences. Now it is wanted to also include the children and youth in the event and this is to be done by the project Ungdommens Madmøde.

The hope is to create a platform for experts, teachers and institutions who are working with healthy, sustainable and locally produced food to children in the Nordic countries and at the same time involve children in the activities of the event. The objectives of the project are to
1) Create a Nordic Youth Food Meeting that practices the natural and culinary community that is Nordic food. And thereby show how positive experiences can involvechildren in a sustainable, Nordic food culture.
2) Create a – preferably an annually recurring – Nordic symposium to develop food experiences for children and how food for children is part of the major social challenges.
3) Increase public interest in the societal goals that can be achieved by working with prevalence and quality and Nordic ideals in public meals for children.

4 Seminar på Røros (Norge) om «terroir» og lokale smaker knyttet til nordiske melkeprodukter is a project which aims to create a Nordic arena for the exchange of expertise and knowledge between the professional community, business, educational institutions and future farmers and employees in the industry.

This is done by arranging a seminar at the dairy Rørosmeieriet. Rørosmeieriet is the largest dairy in Norway which produces organic milk and milk products and the place where it is located, Røros, is an important area for locally produced food and food products.

 

What is New Nordic Food?

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NKJ ska undersöka motståndskraften mot samhälleliga kriser

Klarar vi nordbor oss om det blir kris? De nordiska samhällena har nyligen drabbats av flera större, oförutsägbara händelser med stark påverkan på viktiga samhällssystem, som till exempel stora skogsbränder, pandemi och krig i närområdet. Dessa kriser har väckt frågor om vilken beredskap som finns i samhället och hur god förmågan att hantera större störningar faktiskt är.

 

Kriser påverkar samhället på flera sätt. Även bioekonomin påverkas, oavsett om krisen utgörs av klimatförändringar, pandemi eller krig och konflikter.

Länder går samman för att samarbeta kring militärt försvar – nationella lösningar kan stärkas genom aktiva samarbeten mellan länder. På samma sätt behövs gemensamma strategier för till exempel försörjning.

I Norden finns redan starka kopplingar mellan länderna inom områdena skog, jordbruk, livsmedel och fisk. Det finns alltså goda förutsättningar för att öka och formalisera den gemensamma beredskapen inom Norden och därmed stärka resiliensen* i alla länderna i händelse av kris.

Nordic Agri Research (NKJ) och Nordic Forest Research (SNS) har fått i uppdrag av Nordiska Ministerrådet att undersöka och utveckla resiliensen i den nordiska bioekonomin.

 Vi kommer att ställa frågor som

  • Vilka är de kritiska länkarna i värdekedjorna inom den nordiska bioekonomin och hur påverkas dessa i kristider?
  • Hur påverkas arbetskraft, energipriser, insatsvaror och investeringar av den osäkerhet som kriser skapar?

 

Det här vill vi åstadkomma:

  • Ökad dialog och kunskap om resiliens i Norden
  • Nordiska samarbeten och gemensamma insatser
  • Policyrekommendationer för fortsatt arbete

 

Under maj-juni 2022 genomfördes en förstudie i form av kartläggning och analys av insatser som redan är på gång när det gäller resiliens i tider av kris i de olika nordisk länderna. Kartläggningen visar att det finns ett stort intresse för ämnet kris, resiliens och beredskap i Norden och att det pågår en rad insatser på ämnet.

 

Workshop för framtiden

Under november 2022 kommer NKJ och SNS att arrangera fyra workshoppar med sakkunniga för att diskutera områden som är viktiga för att stärka resiliensen i den nordiska bioekonomin.

Jordbruk: 7 nov, 9-11 CET
Livsmedel: 8 nov, 9-11 CET
Skogsbruk: 14 nov, 9-11 CET
Fiske: 15 nov, 9-11 CET

Är du expert inom något av de aktuella områdena och vill delta i att stärka den nordiska resiliensen? Anmäl dig nu! Deadline är 24 oktober.

Anmäl dig här!

 

*Resiliens är den långsiktiga förmågan hos ett system att hantera förändringar och fortsätta att utvecklas. 

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Towards a common Nordic management of the wild boar

Svensk text längre ner

With a joint, Nordic working group, the wild boar will be handled in a better way. Wild boar, as is well known, easily cross national borders, which makes the countries dependent on each other in the management of the animal.

 

 

Petter Kjellander, professor at the Department of Ecology, unit wildlife, at SLU, has coordinated the compilation of a report that NKJ just published: “Wild boar in the Nordic countries“.

– The Nordic Council of Ministers wants to know about the wild boar situation in the Nordic countries. We have had a look at the biology of the wild boar, but also which conflict areas and management policies exist regarding the wild boar in the different Nordic countries.

So, why is it important to have an overall Nordic picture of the wild boar situation? Well, the wild boars found in Sweden may not stay in Sweden, but can easily cross the border to Norway. With a common and fact-based overview of the situation, it could be easier to deal with problems and get a consensus on necessary and effective measures.

– But regarding this we are in a really difficult situation, says Petter Kjellander, emphasizing the proximity to both Germany, the Baltics and Russia, where there are wild boars that just as easy can cross national borders, and bring the dreaded African swine fever.

The fact that the situations look so different in the different Nordic countries is due to the fact that historically different political decisions have been made based on the different conditions the countries have had. Denmark protects the important pig industry from swine fever by keeping the wild boars from Germany out, in Sweden there is a debate on how the agriculture should be kept safe.

– In Sweden, it has been decided that the wild boar population will be halved in five years.

Sweden has by far the largest tribe in the Nordic countries with at least 300,000 animals, while Norway and Finland have around 1,500 and Denmark and Iceland none at all. With a joint working group, as the report suggests, there is a better chance for more efficient management of the Nordic wild boar population.

– The Swedish administrators could be in a better position to make tougher decisions if  the other Nordic countries are backing them up. Discussing hunting and other management methods will be easier together.

Download the full report (free of charge)

 

Petter Kjellander about the report:

Anders Rolfsson, viltansvarig LRF Skåne, about handling the wild boar as a farmer:

Swedish text

Mot en gemensam nordisk strategi för vildsvinet

Med ett gemensamt, nordiskt samråd kan vi hantera vildsvinen på ett bättre sätt. Vildsvin tar sig, som bekant, lätt över nationsgränserna, vilket gör länderna beroende av varandra i frågan.

 

Petter Kjellander, Professor vid Institutionen för ekologi, enheten viltekologi, på SLU, har samordnat sammanställandet av en rapport som NKJ just har publicerat: ”Vildsvin i de nordiska länderna”.

– Nordiska Ministerrådet vill veta hur vildsvinssituationen ser ut i de nordiska länderna. Vi har tittat på vildsvinens biologi, men också vilka konfliktområden och förvaltningspolicies som finns kring vildsvinen i de olika nordiska länderna.

Så, varför är det viktigt att ha en samlad nordisk bild av vildsvinsläget? Jo, vildsvinen som finns i Sverige kanske inte behagar stanna i Sverige, utan tar sig lätt över gränsen till Norge. Med en gemensam och faktabaserad bild av läget kan det bli lättare att hantera problem och få en samsyn på nödvändiga och verksamma åtgärder.

– Men där är vi verkligen i en svår situation, säger Petter Kjellander och pekar på närheten till både Tyskland, Baltikum och Ryssland, där det också finns vildsvin som har lika lätt att ta sig över nationsgränser och som kan bära på den fruktade Afrikanska svinpesten.

Att situationerna ser så olika ut i de olika nordiska länderna beror på att man historiskt har fattat helt olika politiska beslut utifrån de olika förutsättningar som man har haft. Danmark skyddar sin stora grisindustri från svinpesten genom att hålla ute vildsvinen från Tyskland, Sverige har en debatt om hur böndernas grödor ska hållas skadefria.

– I Sverige har det fattats beslut om att vildsvinsstammen ska halveras på fem år.

Sverige har den absolut i särklass största stammen i Norden med minst 300 000 djur, medan Norge och Finland har runt 1 500 och Danmark och Island inga alls. Med ett gemensamt samråd, som rapporten föreslår, finns chans till en effektivare förvaltning av den nordiska vildsvinsstammen.

– Det hade kunnat hjälpa de svenska förvaltarna att fatta tuffare beslut om de har de andra nordiska länderna i ryggen. Det kan också bli lättare i frågor som jakttryck och andra sätt att hantera stammen om vi pratar med en mun i stället för att streta åt olika håll.

Ladda ner rapporten (gratis)