Tag: networking

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Nine new networks will work for Nordic benefit

Nine new research networks will work towards Nordic benefits and progress in agriculture and food over the next two years, supported by NKJ. The NKJ board has now decided which networks will receive funding after the latest call for proposals.

 

 

The number of applications was high, and they were well-written with important focus areas, making the selection process challenging. The board had a demanding task in balancing the budget. In the end, nine networks were granted funding for their upcoming collaboration.

See the list below for a brief overview of what the networks will be working on!

Nordic network for food control research
The long-term aim of the network is to increase the science-based knowledge in food control, which will ultimately benefit consumer safety and fair treatment of food businesses. This will be achieved by facilitating food control research across disciplines, initiating research collaboration resulting in international research funding applications and increasing transdisciplinary collaboration between academia, food control authorities and food businesses.
Nordic Alternative Protein Knowledge and Innovation Network (NAPKIN)
The NAPKIN network wants to position Iceland, Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway as key actors in protein transition, which leads to economic growth as well as increased health and well-being of the people and the planet. The aim is to establish a viable Nordic network of researchers and stakeholders, fostering the exchange of ideas and knowledge, and facilitating joint funding applications at both the Nordic and EU levels, to address knowledge/research gaps collaboratively and strengthen the region’s common capabilities.
Fimbulwinter wheat – creating a team with a plan to adapt winter wheat for difficult winters
The long-term aim of the network is to deepen understanding of important traits for increased stability of winter wheat cultivation in the Nordic and Baltic countries.
Network for Nordic Landrace Sheep Wool (NordWool)
The long-term aim of the network is to enhance sustainable use of Nordic sheep breeds, emphasizing wool quality to balance the current focus on meat production. By promoting the often-overlooked role of wool, the project contributes to a more holistic utilization of these genetic resources. T
Nordic berry research network
The long-term aim is to establish a research forum for the mutual exchange of knowledge across a wide range of issues and challenges related to both wild and cultivated berries. This approach will enable the identification and utilization of synergies between existing resources while fostering the creation of new ones.
Cultivated muscle-cell based food (CMBFood)
The network gathers a diverse group of stakeholders (including scientists working with all aspects of cultivated meat), to support a holistic exchange of ideas and knowledge, and joint applications for research in cultivated muscle-cell based food, with special focus on the end-product, in the Nordic countries.
Healthy udders through a herd health perspective
The long-term aim of the network is to enhance health, welfare and milk quality of dairy cattle as the basis for long-term sustainability of dairy farms in the Nordic countries. Furthermore, this collaborative network aims to enhance competitiveness and profitability of the Nordic dairy production and safe dairy products for the consumers.
NORDIC-BALTIC Research Network on Organic Food and Farming
The network will arrange a scientific in-person conference directed towards the Nordic-Baltic organic research, and relevant stakeholder, community. The aim of the conference is to share and discuss recent research outcomes within organic food and farming and its societal interactions – dialogue and cooperation between stakeholders are necessary for implementation of research.
Understanding plastic pollution in agrifood systems to protect agriculture and health: The AGRIFOODPLAST Network
The network will strengthen the Nordics’ role in shaping EU policies on soil protection and food safety regarding plastic and chemical additive pollution, drive innovation in Nordic and EU research agendas, coordinate Nordic research efforts and integrate plastic pollution into broader agricultural sustainability analyses.

 

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Funding opportunity for agricultural and food researchers

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!

 

Call text

Application form

NKJ strategy

Gender equality guidelines

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Concrete tools for checking the health of soil

Researchers have gathered science based information from different Nordic countries in a manual on how to check out the health of soil with low-tech methods, readily available and easy to use for farmers and others. The researchers also provide strategies for improving soil health. 

 

During 2021-2022 researchers gathered in the network “Nordic Network on soil health” (NetSH). They shared research, knowledge and experiences on how to improve and sustain soil health in Nordic agricultural soils. They shared the most relevant low-tech methods for evaluating soil health with each other and in workshops.

Healthy soil functions are important for healthy soil-plant ecosystems on the farms, so strategies for farmers to improve and sustain soil functions, soil structure and soil biology have been in focus. 

NetSH also held an open webinar, “Soil health in the Nordic region”, that gained a lot of attention with 130 participants. In addition to this, there were two online meetings and one on-soil workshop arranged by the network.

Lars Munkholm (Aarhus University) and Annette Vestergaard (SEGES) demonstrating ”Tjek jordens sundhed”, the Danish variant of soil health evaluation on the workshop in Norway (NIBIO Apelsvoll) in June 2022.
Photo: Reidun Pommeresche, NORSØK

MANUALS: How to check your soil?

Methods to evaluate soil health on farms has been demonstrated to make them available to as many as possible. Assessment of soil structure, soil compaction, root growth and soil biology has been discussed in the network and knowledge has been exchanged.

The most important tool is the spade combined with sensory evaluations, including pressing soil clumps between your fingers to evaluate how easily they brake and checking the smell of the soil in different depths.

The manuals are available in four Nordic languages:

• Norwegian: Jordlappen

• Danish: Tjek jordens sundhed

• Finnish: MARA Maan rakenteen aistinvarainen arviointi (2019) – Avointen oppimateriaalien kirjasto (aoe.fi) and Peltomaan laatutesti, Microsoft Word – Peltomaan_laatutesti_Havainto_ohjeet2.doc (proagria.fi)

• Swedish: Hur mår min jord?

These methods give a high score to soils with good structure with raisin shaped (rounded and porous) soil aggregates, deep and well growing plant roots, how easily the soil clumps brake, not to hard soil pans and the presence of several pink (inside) root noodles on legume roots and some earthworms in the soil. A healthy soil should relatively fast decompose organic matter, have some dark brown to black color due to organic matter content and have a smell of different fungi, like forest soils. All these methods include focus on comparing soil samples taken with a spade and to visualize and discuss soil functions and soil health with the farmers.

A selection of different low-cost methods showed under the NetSH workshop to visualize and discuss different aspects of soil health, like soil structure, aggregate stability and soil biology. Photo: Sissel Hansen/Reidun Pommeresche, NORSØK

  

 Compacted soil – a common Nordic problem

In the Nordic region we all experience the most severe soil problems in vegetable and cereal production. Much of this can be linked to soil compaction, with a very hard pan (zone) just below the tillage depth. But also in grass production there are soil structural and drainage challenges. In many cereal fields and some grass fields the straw and plant residues decompose very slowly or almost not at all.

In the Nordic region the soil types range from organic (peat) agricultural soils with more than 40 % soil organic matter to different mineral soils with low content of organic matter. In some areas the content of soil organic carbon (SOC) is creeping under 1,5 % (= 3 % soil organic matter SOM) which often is highlighted as a critical lower limit to several soil functions. In our Nordic cool conditions, we discussed that the content have to be higher than this for the soil to function well. 

 

Some strategies to improve soil health

A selection of strategies to improve soil health in the Nordic region as discussed in the Network-meetings and on the workshop is listed here. The order of the key words is not ranked.

Mineral soil:
How to improve soil biology? Input of plant residues and other organic material, better crop rotations and plant diversity, enough water and oxygen in the soil, increase the content of SOM if it is very low.
How to improve aggregate stability? Ley (grass/clover) in the crop rotation, green plants most of the year, use of animal manure and compost, and liming with limestone or natural gypsum.
How to avoid soil compaction and improve soil structure? Lowering tire load and tire pressure and not driving on wet soil. Use a mixture of cover crops, sub crop in cereal and when deep tillage is used, sow plants immediately.
How to improve the decomposition rate of straw and plant residues in the soil? Cover crops, cut the material before incorporation, check for drainage problems. Oxygen and gas exchange  very important for decomposition. Improve soil structure.
How to loosen a hard ploughing pan? Crop rotation + mechanically subsoiling, alfa alfa 2 years and animal manure/sludge.

Peaty soil:
In agricultural organic (peat) soil the aim should be to reduce carbon losses, instead of trying to increase the carbon content. Improve the soil structure from above, not plowing organic material to deep.

Let the spade become your friend

The Nordic farmer should use the spade to check their soils and a more diverse crop rotation as a start to improve soil health. Focus on soil structure and year around green plant cover will be useful in a future with a more unstable climate, with more heavy rains and droughts.

Some of the participants in the network Sustain Nordic soil health (NetSH) from the workshop June 20-21 2022 in Norway. From left to right in front: Reidun Pommeresche (NORSØK, network leader), Sissel Hansen (NORSØK), Mika Tähtikarhu (Luke), Henrik Vestergaard Poulsen (SEGES), Lars J. Munkholm (Aarhus University), Åsa Myrbeck (RISE), Pirjo Kivijärvi (Luke), Tatiana Rittl (NORSØK) and Mette Thomsen (NIBIO). 2. row from left to right: Franziska Fischer (NIBIO), Till Sehusen (NIBIO). 3. row from right to left: Randi B. Frøseth (NIBIO), Sari Iivonen (FORI/Luke) and Annette V. Vestergaard (SEGES). And in the back Frederik Bøe (NIBIO) and Thomas Julseth Brown.

 

Contact
Sustain Nordic soil health (NetSH)
Reidun Pommeresche, Norwegian Centre for Organic Agriculture (NORSØK)