During this decade, the global food system has experienced several shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and inflation. These recent shocks have elevated food security on the political agenda globally, including in the Nordic countries.
Areas where food is produced are a scarce resource and the amount of agricultural land is decreasing globally. At the same time, repurposing agricultural land is at times necessary to meet society’s other goals and needs. For example, the development of green industry and energy is increasing pressure on land use. This raises questions about the importance of agricultural and arable land and how it should be managed.
The Nordic countries have a long tradition of cooperating to find solutions to common challenges. Meeting the challenges of land use and managing multiple needs of society while still maintaining national food security can be helped by increasing exchanges among the Nordic countries on how land use can be managed.
A discussion on land use and the reduction of agricultural land recently emerged among the Nordic countries. This report is a result of the discussion, aiming to promote further dialogue and recommendations for future cooperation.