News
Do we need people along the coast – and why should young people want to stay or come back?
Identity, connection, and practical knowledge are some keywords. Using the body, head, and hands in one’s own landscape, strenghten a sense of belonging, ownership and mastery – also in terms of self sustenance– has significance on many levels. But today few children and young people are included in local, primary business processes and value chains.…
Read MoreCan ‘ordinary’ people contribute to solving energy crises?
COPPER stands for ‘Creating, Optimizing and Planning Positive Energy Districts’ and is part-financed by the European Commission and the Norwegian Research Council. In the age of the green transition, COPPER looks at an exciting opportunity: how local energy communities can contribute to solving the global energy crisis. Through research, innovation, and strategic collaboration, new solutions…
Read MoreNatalia Mamonova – senior researcher at RURALIS – has given an interview to the Ukrainian journal “Commons” about her project on “Food security, food sovereignty and collective action during the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian and global perspectives”.
The text of the interview is available at this link: https://commons.com.ua/en/zemelna-reforma-v-ukrayini-pid-chas-vijni/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2yKYgQkcI1Y8wdWlmaOBfFmW1q3N0EB-TYX-fIZBiG_txA6MoszZCgAKI_aem_AZIjP6n8amcG6gjIBKI2Vp7OC2E8cGKfPCxdpji1intB0q_H_Py-ekKiqClKJ8HacVO3xV5BAf2kHLL2FUvn-pHZ
Read MoreGreenland and its growing tourism – how can it be sustainable?
Professor Gestur Hovgaard from Ilisimatusarfik opened the meeting by presenting some ongoing research collaborations in the field of tourism and work in progress. Hovgaard is currently leading a proposal on sustainable tourism that will be submitted together with several other partners including Ruralis to the highly competitive NordForsk program on sustainable Arctic. He emphasized a…
Read MoreNeoliberal Limits – Farmer Protests, Elections and the Far Right
The following material is republished with the permission of ARC2020 and was originally published on ARC2020’s website on April 30, 2024. What is happening in Europe now regarding the farmers’ protests? Protests are still ongoing, despite the farmers having already won some concessions from EU and national authorities. Farmer protests in January and February were…
Read MoreFarmer protests, environmental regulations and the rise of the far right in the EU
Together with Håkon Sælen, senior researcher at CICERO, Natalia discussed the ongoing farmers protests in the EU, related changes in the EU environmental and agricultural policy, and the upcoming EU parliamentary elections in June. She also drew some parallels with the situation in Norwegian agriculture and discussed the potential for rising right-wing populist sentiments in…
Read MoreThe Ocean Decade – and the important questions
The aims of the BioShare project has been to develop knowledge and analytical understanding necessary to assess, organise and manage the sharing of benefits from the utilization of natural resources, and provide policy recommendations accordingly. We especially focused on aquaculture and wind energy, but also bioprospecting and the strong growing interest in the ocean, comparing…
Read MoreInternational Women’s Day on 8th March 2024
Achieving gender equality and women’s well-being in all aspects of life is more crucial than ever if we want to create prosperous economies and a healthy planet. Kudos to all the women in our Living Labs who are breaking new ground, developing innovations and co-learning through mutual support. They are sowing the seeds for future…
Read MoreBlame the System, Not the Farmers
The following material is republished with the permission of ARC2020 and was originally published on ARC2020’s website on February 1, 2024. Over the past couple of months, many angry farmers have taken tractors to the streets of major cities in protest. At first glance, the protests appear to have very little in common. In France…
Read MoreCitizens’ engagement is essential for an efficient green transition
Written by Maria Eklöf, Head of Communications, Nordic Energy Research. Dr Kristian Borch, who is Senior Researcher at Ruralis – Norwegian institute for Rural and Regional Research, and Associate Professor at Aalborg University, Department of Sustainable Energy Planning, will hold a session on citizen involvement in renewable energy. Nordic Energy Research asked him to elaborate on this important…
Read MoreCattle and machinery are often involved when accidents occur in agriculture
Almost 7 out of 100 farmers have experienced accidents on the farm in the past year and 1 in 10 have experienced near miss or incident of in the same period. Accidents often occur when livestock is moved and when machines and tractors are used. This is shown by a survey on health, environment and…
Read MoreNational Day in the Shadow of Fosen
By Henrikke Sæthre Ellingsen, NTNU/Ruralis For the second year in a row, the national day took place under the shadow of the Fosen judgment –the Sami reindeer herders on the Fovsen-Njaarke/Fosen peninsula are still fighting against the wind power plant that was completed there in 2019. The wind power plant, which is owned by Fosen…
Read MoreBetter drying techniques can reduce food waste
In the two Asian mountain countries of Nepal and Bhutan, large parts of the population live outside cities, and agriculture is the most important source of income for most. A common problem is that large parts of the crops are lost after harvest, because the farmers lack the facilities and technology to store and preserve…
Read MoreNow you can test whether new technology is ready to be used
By Bjørg Bruset The new balanced readiness level assessment (BRLa) calculator will help developers, equipment dealers, incubators and consultants assess a product’s technological, market, legal, societal and organizational maturity. The readiness calculator can be used for free by anyone. Results can be cited as from the “Ruralis readiness calculator”. The calculator has been developed for…
Read MoreNordic conference for rural research: Finland, Spring 2022
The Nordic conference for rural research is an interdisciplinary forum with an emphasis on research relevant to the Nordic countries. The conference’s website with important dates, other information and, eventually, possibilities for registration, is to be found here: https://sites.uef.fi/ruralities/ Please note that the deadline for submitting proposals for working groups is December 12th 2021.
Read MoreCorona can make nature-based tourism flourish
Summer is upon us, and this year coronavirus is forcing most of us to take our vacations in our home country. This represents a crisis for large parts of the tourism industry worldwide – and Norway is no exception – but some companies can prosper from the situation. The market in Norway is huge. Tourists are now increasingly looking for destinations that have not been ‘discovered’ in order to get unique nature experiences,…
Read MoreCOVID-19 intensifies hunger among refugees
Refugees are often the most vulnerable to crises, no matter where in the world they are. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expects that the corona pandemic will weaken food security for refugees and internally displaced persons. Cuts rations by 40 percent Uganda is home to about 1.4 million refugees and is thus among…
Read More“The good farmer” is motivated by more than just money
Norwegian agriculture faces mounting pressures, both economically and socially. Cultural motivations for preserving cultural landscapes and biological diversity will most likely become increasingly important. – In many cases, researchers wonder why farmers continue to run their farms despite agriculture’s low profitability. The “good farmer”-approach claims that farmers remain in agriculture because they receive non-monetary rewards.…
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