The 10th Circumpolar Agriculture Conference took place in Rovaniemi 13 – 15 March 2019. The conference addressed local agriculture and bioeconomy, northern local breeds, reindeer herding, and the effects of climate change on agriculture. The topics also include Arctic foods and natural products, food quality, food security, business opportunities and sustainability.
The Circumpolar Agriculture Conference addressed what agriculture means in different parts of the Arctic region, and discuss its significance, challenges and opportunities. The conference will highlight new thinking and local solutions.
– In recent years, local foods, natural products and small-scale production have been on a rising trend worldwide. We have seen this also in Finland, even though small-scale agriculture and related product development is still marginal. In this conference, we want to emphasize the potentials of local small-scale production, specialization and the natural products sector in the Arctic by giving voice to both research and practical examples, says the Conference Chair Päivi Soppela.
The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Leppä gave the opening speech. On the first day, keynote speaker David Natcher explained how agricultural technology has been applied in the northernmost regions of Canada. On the second day, Margret Geirsdottir from Iceland told how a research institute can support product research and development in companies. Lena Maria Nilsson highlighted the views of indigenous peoples and present examples of food security and its outlook in northern Sweden.
Conference quests had opportunity to learn about Metsähallitus mobile permit for natural products and reconciliation methods of land use in state-owned lands in Finland. During conference excursion was visited Visitor Centre NAAVA in Pyhä-Luosto National Park and landscape-logging place.
The Circumpolar Agriculture Conference is one of the events organized during the Finnish Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. The organisation behind this triennial research conference is the Circumpolar Agricultural Association, which is currently chaired by Finland. The local organiser is the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland in cooperation with Natural Resources Institute Finland, Metsähallitus and several local institutions. About 160 participants from all over the Arctic attended the event.
For more information:
Event website: www.ulapland.fi/cac2019
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2069668989966001/
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Picture: Marko Junttila/Arctic Centre