Arctic Farmers Under Pressure From Multiple Fronts: “Several Factors Make Us Vulnerable”

At Kløkstad farm, a few miles north of Bodø center in Northern Norway, Magne Kristensen is farming under some of the world's most extreme conditions.

The farm has been in the family since the 1800s. Together with his wife, Magne ensures that the farm runs smoothly, but since she works full-time outside of farming, most of the physical work falls on him.

He mows, fertilizes and packs feed from the fields covering about 1345000 square meters in a landscape where the weather sets the pace. The closeness to nature and the animals is what keeps him going.

"It is a gift to see that the seed you planted begins to sprout and the cow you've followed since the calf was born is milking," says Kristensen.

Arctic quality

Agriculture in the Arctic is conducted under conditions not found in many other places in the world. Cold, short summers, and extreme light conditions set unique parameters for food production.

"The warmth from the Gulf Stream allows us to farm at latitudes where it would otherwise be impossible," says Marianne Vileid Uleberg, head of the Centre for Arctic Agriculture at the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO).

Northern Norway stands out as temperatures are far milder than in other places at the same latitude. At the same time, the midnight sun and the polar night impact the growing conditions.

"The plants react to day length and growth season. Therefore, we need plant material that is particularly adapted to the conditions here."

The farmers cannot compete with volume, but with quality. Low temperatures allow for less use of pesticides and the cold winter eliminates many diseases.

"This supports what we call Arctic quality. Studies of carrots, broccoli, swedes and strawberries, among others, show that Arctic products often have a sweeter ttaste and a better consistency than similar products further south," says Uleberg.

But the uniqueness comes with a price: the growth season is short. Many farmers can only harvest once or twice during the season, compared to up to four times further south. That means that they need larger areas to produce enough feed.

For Kristensen, these constraints are clearly felt in everyday life.

The short growing season makes farmers in the North particularly vulnerable. One bad week could ruin an entire year's worth of work. In recent years, the growing season has increased with about two weeks, but the weather has concurrently become more extreme.

"It's often either or. Either just rain, or just drought. This makes it more challenging for us, because the plants get too little or too much water," he says.

Climate change sets new frameworks

At the same time, the number of farms is declining faster in Northern Norway than in the rest of the country. Since the year 2000, the number of agricultural enterprises in Northern Norway has more than halved.

"In Bodø municipality alone, there are soon only a few who are still farming. Five farms have disappeared in Bodø just this year," says Kristensen.

He points out that costs have increased significantly in recent years, making it more difficult both to continue and to start new farms.

The consequence is a daily life with increasing pressure on farmers. For Kristensen, it also entails that the job never really ends.

"It's a bit like a hamster wheel. We have to work faster and faster to cover all tasks. Personally, I have been on call since I started in September 2013, 24 hours a day," he explains. 

Fewer farms and greater distances between them make farmers in the North even more vulnerable. As farms close, the network that previously connected the farmers also disappears.

"I remember that when my parents were running the farm, we always had a proper breakfast and lunch, and there was time to visit the neighbor. There is no time for that anymore."

Food security

Uleberg believes the development makes the entire agricultural system in the North more vulnerable.

"This applies to both the social environment and the support system around the farmers," she says.

At the same time, she points to a paradox: Northern Norway has the country's best grazing lands, but their use is declining. The region also has very good conditions for producing potatoes, vegetables, and berries, but does not do so.

"If Norway is serious about agriculture being conducted throughout the country, and that Northern Norway should contribute to food security, steps must be taken. Production is declining, and it is uncertain how long the remaining farmers can maintain the areas alone."

In several areas, only one farmer is left. When the last one gives up, the land can quickly go out of use.

"There are many things that make us very vulnerable here," says Kristensen. 

For him, this is about more than economics and food production. It is also about societal security.

Northern Norway is vulnerable to supply failures, and most of the food is transported northward from the rest of the country. When bad weather, landslides, or closed roads affect infrastructure, the situation can quickly become critical.

In September last year, a quick clay landslide in Levanger led to both the new and old E6, as well as the railway, being destroyed. Thus, one of the most important transport lines to Northern Norway was put out of action.

"That's all it takes."

And what happens if a geopolitical situation suddenly affects the ability to transport food to the region?

"The amount of food stored in Bodø center would run out quickly," concludes Kristensen.