project - Innovative project
Agricultural research for Northern Sweden
Regional jordbruksforskning för norra Sverige (RJN)
Objectives
In Northern parts of Scandinavia, agriculture is conducted at the highest latitudes worldwide. This implies that conditions are rather different and also specific in comparison to other parts of the world. In the early 1990s, government funding of applied agricultural research was strongly set back. Therefore, applied research that addresses problems specific for northern areas lost much of its funding. The aim with te research programme is to strengthen applied research with focus on important issues for Norther agriculture.
Objectives
Regional jordbruksforskning för norra Sverige är ett samarbetsavtal mellan SLU och ett antal lantbrukskooperativa företag, med syfte att initiera och finansiera forskning som har särskild relevans för norra Sveriges jordbruk. Medel för forskning fördelas av en styrgrupp, som gör en prioritering av de inkomna projektansökningarna. Medel utlyses årligen. Forskningsprogrammet har som övergripande målsättning att utveckla kunskap och produktionsformer som är resurshushållande, miljövänliga, kvalitetsin-riktade och etiskt försvarbara samtidigt som de främjar lönsamheten för den enskilde bonden.
Activities
Research programme
Within the framework to support agriculture the following focus areas for research have been highlighted
- Dairy and beef production based on locally produced feed.
- Minimise input of pesticides.
- High quality products.
- Improved supply of protein and starch in animal feed at the farm through selection of crops, time of cutting and storage methods.
- Minimise energy consumption at farm level.
- Develop tools for management and evaluation of different types of production at farm level.
- Development and testing of technical solutions adapted to climate and farm size in the area.
- Other business types that can contribute to employment on the farm.
- Develop and improve farm technology to produce energy, e g the use of slurry or crops for biogas production.
- Synthesis of older research results to find new ways to implement these in practice.
Dissemination of results
All applicants are obliged to include a plan for dissemination of results in there research applications. There is also a yearly conference, arranged by the Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, SLU, where many of the projects have been presented.
Activities
Farmer’s organizations took the initiative to cooperate with SLU to strengthen funding for research to the benefit for Northern agriculture. In 1996 the first agreement was signed to jointly fund applied research with emphasis on Northern agriculture. Since then the agreement has been renewed every third year. Within the framework to support agriculture the following focus areas for research have been highlighted
- Dairy and beef production based on locally produced feed.
- Minimise use of pesticides.
- High quality products.
- Improved supply of protein and starch in animal feed at the farm.
- Minimise energy consumption.
- Develop tools for management and evaluation.
- Development and testing of technical solutions adapted to climate and farm size in the area.
- Other business types that can contribute to employment on the farm.
- Develop and improve farm technology to produce bioenergy.
- Synthesis of older research results to find new ways to implement these in practice.
To fulfil the purpose of the agreement it is emphasized that results from the different projects should be efficiently spread to farmers and extension workers/advisers in the area.
Additional information
The cooperation has brought scientists and farmers in the area closer together and has enhanced dissemination of research results to be used in practice. We are currently negotiating a new agreement for the comming three years (2015-2017).
Project details
- Main funding source
- Other rural development funds
- Agricultural sectors
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- Beef cattle
- Dairy cattle
- Fodder and forage
1 Practice Abstracts
The cooperation between farmers companies/organisations and SLU in funding regional research for Northern Sweden has been important for all partners. SLU has strengthened their research in agriculture in Umeå, but equally important, farmers in the region have been able to direct parts of the research to issues of relevance for farming in their region. The fact that the agreement has been renewed every third year since 1996, shows that there is a consensus of the benefit of the agreement. As we have been working with this partnership for almost 20 years, there has been a large number of project conducted funded by this agreement.
The cooperation between farmers companies/organisations and SLU in funding regional research for Northern Sweden has been important for all partners. SLU has strengthened their research in agriculture in Umeå, but equally important, farmers in the region have been able to direct parts of the research to issues of relevance for farming in their region. The fact that the agreement has been renewed every third year since 1996, shows that there is a consensus of the benefit of the agreement. As we have been working with this partnership for almost 20 years, there has been a large number of project conducted funded by this agreement.