SDWG Project Proposal: The Arctic as a food producing region
SDWG PROJECT PROPOSAL TEMPLATE
Project Title:The Arctic as a food producing region / Lead Country/Project leader(s):
Norway
Others tbc
Arctic Council participants will include other Arctic Council member States and PPs with interest in this topic.
List over experts:
Norway (leader)
Nofima – the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research, Ingrid Kvalvik
Nilf - Norwegian Agricultural Economics Research Institute, Hilde Helgesen
Bioforsk – Norwegian Agricultural Economics Research Institute, Sigridur Dalmannsdottir
Canada:
University of Saskatchewan, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, Department of Bioresource Policy, Business and Economics (BPBE), David Natcher
Iceland:
Matis ltd., Sveinn Margeirsson
USA:
University of Alaska Anchorage, ISER - InstituteofSocialand Economic Research, Gunnar Knapp.
Total Cost of Project:
Cost and sources of funding to be determined. / Relationship to other AC Working Groups:
Objective of Project:
The aim of this project is to assess the potential for increased production and added value of food from the Arctic, with the overarching aim of improving economic and social conditions of Arctic communities.
The Arctic or northern areas are already important as a food producing region, but has potential to become even bigger. By focusing on biological (climate change), industry (commercial resources, infrastructure and industry policy) and market conditions the project will explore and describe possible paths of development for arctic food production. The aim is to identify conditions for increased production, new species and last but not least the potential for added value of food from the Arctic. The proposed project addresses the SDWG’s thematic areas “socioeconomic issues”, “adaptation to climate change” and “management of natural resources”.
Background:
§ Once the project has been approved and funded, planning of the first project meeting will start, with the aim of holding the meeting by the middle of 2015. The project will run over 4 years (until the middle of 2018), with annual project meetings. During the project period there will be several milestones and deliverables in the form of publications (scientific and popular science, including a photo exhibition/poster), stakeholder meetings and conference presentations (see timetable below for details). A project summary will be delivered in the middle of 2018.
§ Nofima is working together with the research institutes listed below.
o Nilf - Norwegian Agricultural Economics Research Institute
o Bioforsk – Norwegian Agricultural Economics Research Institute
o University of Saskatchewan, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, Department of Bioresource Policy, Business and Economics (BPBE), Canada
o Matis ltd., Iceland
o University of Alaska Anchorage, ISER - InstituteofSocialand Economic Research, USA
Once the project is approved we will seek participation from research institutions in the other Arctic states.
The research consortium is multi-disciplinary including natural and social sciences, including biology, political science, anthropology, marketing and economics. It is established to have competence in in all the four food sectors/industries – fisheries, aquaculture, agriculture and gathering/herding. We will make sure to include food production in indigenous communities.
In each country a reference group of stakeholders will be established. Through annual meetings these will ensure relevance for industries and communities, and also provide valuable insight to the project group. Identified stakeholders are industry actors (industry defined as all actors producing food for sale), community representatives (political and NGOs, including indigenous representatives) and regional/state authorities. The knowledge produced in the project will contribute to building the capacity of Arctic communities to better manage the current and future challenges and opportunities in the circumpolar region.
§ Cost estimate and budget: To be determined. Each partner/country should administrate and seek finance for its own part of the project.
Rationale:
The food producers in the Arctic area is facing similar challenges related to harsh climatic conditions, climate change, poor and/or costly infrastructure and distance to export markets. They also share the possibilities to frame the special attributes of the food from the Arctic.
Consumers generally prefer food that is healthy, with good taste and produced in a sustainable manner, and increasingly they prefer food with a unique story. Food from the Arctic may score high on all these properties, especially with marketing based on properties highlighting the characteristics of Arctic food.
Climate change is stated to be a driving force for increased food production in the Arctic, but climate change does not in itself cause increase in food production or value-adding. It just provides the opportunity for development. The effects of climate change must therefore be assessed together with other driving forces like market conditions and infrastructure, as well as the business conditions for the industries or productions.
In this study we want to assess the potential for increased production and added value of food from the Arctic. The questions we raise are:
1. What is the status and what is the potential for various food productions in the Arctic?
2. What are the added value of these products when marketed by their special qualities and unique origin?
3. What conditions are important to further develop the Arctic as a food producing region?
a. How can production be increased and how can new species and products be developed?
b. How are the market conditions for adding value or branding the “Arctic” at local, national and international markets?
c. What role does industry structure, infrastructure and organization of different value chains and industry policy play for the potential development?
d. What role do local cultural values have for the development of new food products and local markets?
On a macro level we will study the driving forces affecting the food-producing industries. At a micro-level we will study selected successful cases to highlight possibilities and challenges. The insight from these studies will be combined to discuss how the different industries are affected by various driving forces and how they can develop given these driving forces.
Within the region there is considerable variation in both production and capabilities. Fisheries and aquaculture are often large-scale and export-oriented, while agriculture are quite marginal compared to farming in more favorable locations further south. In addition some regions have potential for better utilization and value adding from hunting, herding and gathering. Nevertheless all industries are producing both commodities and high value niche products. Some driving forces we assume to be common for all industries, while some driving forces might be industry- or country specific. Drivers will be identified through literature studies, interviews with firms in each of the industries.
A comparative project involving the Arctic states can provide useful insight into common challenges as well as examples of successful product developments of foodstuff/species. We will study successful products and business developments and analyze how they make room for their products in the market, solve logistic challenges, how their value chains are configured and how they make strategies for the future. Here the dialogue and participation of industry actors are essential, both directly and through established “food networks”. Based on knowledge of the present production and established “Arctic” niche products the project will explore and describe possible paths of development for arctic food production. The aim is to identify conditions for increased production, new species and last but not least the potential for added value of food from the Arctic.
Common case studies in all the arctic countries will strengthen the collaboration between areas and industries, create extensive networks and increase knowledge transfer. Comparisons/learning arenas will therefore be made a) within sectors across countries, b) across sectors nationally and c) between sectors and countries.
We have decided to focus on the primary industries; fisheries, aquaculture and agriculture, in addition to herding and gathering which is significant in some areas. We will outline different but still realistic scenarios of future development, based on market knowledge, commercial interest of the industry and their structure and public policy. Focus will be on local and regional industrial development. As such, the project can contribute to strengthen food production in the Arctic and improving economic and social conditions of Arctic communities.
Activities and Outputs:
Key outputs:
- Publications on barriers to and potential for increased production and added value of food form the Arctic – scientific and popularized, including photo exhibition/poster
- Presentations at circumpolar conferences (CAC, ICASS)
- Concluding workshop and seminar with stakeholders (nation wise and circumpolar if resources)
- Establishment of research network on food production in the Arctic region.
- Report to ministers in time for the 2018 ministerial meeting
Together, these outputs will yield benefits for the food industries and communities across the Arctic. Knowledge from the study about how climate change, market conditions, industry structure, public policy and social conditions together impacts on the prospect for developing Arctic as a food producing region will be useful for policy making, research and business development alike. Increased harvesting and production of marine, agricultural and wild life resources that are produced and sold locally can also contribute to food security and social and economic development in local communities. A comparative project involving all the Arctic states can provide useful insight into common challenges as well as provide good example of success histories. As such, the project can contribute to strengthen food production in the Arctic. Common case studies in all the arctic countries will also strengthen the collaboration between areas, create extensive networks and increase knowledge flows.
This project addresses the core focus of the SDWG, by contributing to sustainable communities that are more resilient to climate change and financially more secure. Other SDWG members and observers can contribute to the success of this project by ensuring robust participation in the project. Both in-kind contributions of expertise and financial contributions are warmly welcomed.
Anticipated Outcomes:
§ Synthesized knowledge about driving forces and challenges for increased production and value creation of food from the Arctic, looking at biological, market, business and social conditions.
§ Improved understanding of conditions for increased production, new species and last but not least the potential for added value of food from the Arctic
§ Enhanced international cooperation and focus on increased production and added value of food from the Arctic
§ Publicity about the challenges and possibilities will help to inform the industry, communities, policy makers and non-government organizations, which in turn, could generate new ideas, productions and cooperation on marketing.
§ Showcase of innovations and ideas.
§ Exchange of ideas regarding production and products, marketing and public facilitation of food production and marketing.
§ Discussion of the potential effects of climate change on food production in the Arctic region.
Integration of Traditional and Local Knowledge:
Identify whether the use of Traditional and Local Knowledge will lead to better project outcomes:
While the three dimensions - biology, business and markets - are critical for understanding the potential for the Arctic to become a food producing region, equally so are the cultural factors that might facilitate or impede the development of new food producing markets in the north. If these new food-producing markets are at odds with the cultural values of northern indigenous peoples, they stand little chance of success, regardless of market demand. The inclusion of traditional and local knowledge is therefore vital and is raised in research question 3d: “what role do local cultural values have for the development of new food products and local markets?”
If so, explain how Traditional and Local Knowledge will be used in this project:
Traditional and local knowledge will be included in the project both by focusing on food production by and for indigenous communities, and by including representatives from indigenous communities and organisations into the stakeholder groups in the countries where this is relevant. This will secure relevance for end users and give important input to the research group.
Timetable and Project Completion:
The project will run through three stages and is divided into six work packages (WPs), one for each industry – fisheries, aquaculture, agriculture and gathering/herding (WP1-4), in addition to a WP to compare and synthesize insights from different productions/
industries (WP5) and a WP to administer the project and have the overall responsibility for stakeholder participation and dissemination of results.
Milestones and activitiesJune 2015 / Stage 1
Project meeting
Detailed project plan
Case selection
Task 1. National background information on production and products, the market and industry structure
Task 2: Physical “Arctic product attributes” of selected products
2016 / Task 3: Comparison present situation and cases across countries
Project meeting
Working papers from the WPs
Popular science publications
Stage 2
Task 1:Analyse driving forces:
Task 1A: Biological conditions - climate change, increased production and new species
Task 1B: Business conditions - commercial resources, infrastructure, and industry policy
Task 1C: Market conditions – market opportunities and consumer demand – local, national, and international market), international market survey
Task 2: Case studies of Arctic products and food chains
Task 3: Comparison with other countries and sectors
Working papers from the WPs
Popular science publications
2017 / Project meeting
Compare industry specific driving forces (sector wise between countries)
Compare driving forces across sectors
Comparison selected food chains - success stories, failures and potential for learning
Publications (scientific and popular)
Stage 3
Assessing potentials and conditions for development
Panel at ICASS IX conference in 2017 - synthesis of the project, scientific communication (if accepted)
2018 / Synthesis of country and industry driving forces - potential and challenges
Panel or presentations at CAC – Circumpolar Agricultural Conference 2018
Project meeting and Concluding workshop (including reference groups if funding)
End seminar with stakeholders nation wise
Finalizing publications (scientific and popular)
§ Target completion date: fall 2018.
Communications:
Communication and dissemination will take place through both local/national and international channels. International dissemination is important for building an awareness of the conditions for producing food in the Arctic. At the same time, an important mission for each institution will be to translate and disseminate lessons learned from this project to national industries and markets, as well as policy makers.