Knowledge hub to increase competitiveness of Swedish livestock production

Today, Sweden imports approximately 70 percent more agricultural products and food than we export. Some of these imports comprise animal products that compete with Swedish livestock production, i.e. meat, milk, eggs, and dairy products.  

This must change, according to statements made by the Minister for Rural Affairs stated in January 2023. The competitiveness and profitability of Swedish livestock production needs to be strengthened, and there must be greater self-sufficiency. 

“Various reports and investigations have shown that the supply of knowledge in Swedish agriculture does not work well enough,” says Jørgen Korning, a unit manager at RISE. “A report published by the OECD in 2018 described the gap between research and agriculture.  

“The research conducted in Sweden is at a very high level, but it has not always been translated into something practicable. The gap between the research projects and the farmers has been perceived as very large.” 

The knowledge hub organises experts and working groups 

Against this background, RISE was commissioned to start and operate a knowledge hub for livestock production together with organisations in the industry. The objective is to achieve a better bridge between research, farmers, and their advisory companies.  

How will this be done in practical terms? The knowledge hub has experts in various livestock production areas who work with working groups in which advisory companies, research, industry, and interest organisations are represented.  

“Together, they will keep up to date on the latest research and what is happening in their own field,” says Korning. “The dairy group may identify that more knowledge is needed about feed, for example. Then the task of the hub is to establish an investigation team that undertakes data synthesis concerning this; in other words, they compile the results from relevant national and international studies. If there is a lack of research, the knowledge hub, together with funders, will ensure that research projects relating to the area are initiated.”  

“We are currently developing a structure for how the knowledge collected will be presented,” explains Roger Eriksson, communications manager at the knowledge hub. “The idea is to develop a database where the content can be presented to the different target groups at the right level. Farmers will be interested in the research, and advisory companies will be able to utilise it in their advisory capacity.” 

Korning adds: “We will not be in direct contact with the farmers, but the knowledge will be transferred through the advisory companies.” 

International collaborations with similar countries 

The knowledge hub will seek collaborations with countries with similar agriculture to Sweden, such as Norway, Denmark, and Finland. 

“If we identify a common problem or need, we can coordinate who takes care of what and adapt the research that exists,” explains Korning. “This will help us avoid duplicate work and conduct parallel research in all countries.”  

Although Swedish agriculture is similar to that in Norway, Denmark, and Finland, there is a significant difference. Sweden has not invested in the development of its own food production in the same way as the other countries have done. But things are now changing. 

“We established a new food strategy in 2017, and that constituted the first step,” says Korning. “But it is only now that we are seriously starting to implement more measures in the step and adapt it to what we are now discovering through the work with the hub.” 

“The reaction from agriculture is ‘Finally!’,” says Eriksson. “They have great expectations and feel that this is needed. At the same time, they don’t really know how to contribute at this stage. We are therefore now building up a solid organisation that will enable good collaboration in the future.”