– Food safety is far too poor. We have too little emergency stock, and we are building down too much agricultural land. I feel that we are not taking the situation properly seriously, says Geir Ove Mannsverk. The farmer in Alta believes that it is urgent to set up emergency storage for food in northern Norway. Today, there are no such warehouses in the region, after the last ones were closed in 2003. War, pandemic, radioactive fallout and climate challenges – there are many things that can put society in a crisis situation. This is revealed in a recent report from the National Audit Office. In the worst case, several crises occur at the same time. Auditor General Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen says Norway is not sufficiently prepared if the international trade in food were to fail. It is basically not very likely. If it were to happen today, Northern Norway in particular is vulnerable. – It’s a bit scary to think about. We should actually build many warehouses in different places, especially with the situation we are in now, with the East as a solid threat, says Mannsverk. More can be produced The dairy and meat farmer has always been concerned with local food production. He has an ever-so-small sigh of relief to bring to the country’s politicians. – When you talk to them, they are very keen that we have preparedness, and preparedness is very important. But at the same time, we have only reduced the warehouses in recent years. I feel we should rather build it up. Farmer Geir Ove Mannsverk has 60 dairy cows and 200 cattle in total on his farm in Alta. In addition, he has some sheep and outdoor pigs. Photo: Hanne Larsen / news He believes Norway should strengthen agriculture and get more farms, rather than closing them down. According to the report, around 60 per cent of all the food we eat is either imported or produced with imported feed ingredients. Both the livestock industry and the farming industry buy feed from abroad. – We have the potential to make much more Norwegian grain, and we have the potential to produce more than we need, so that we can get a warehouse for it. It is incredibly important to produce meat and milk in the rural areas, and grain where we have the conditions to do so, says Mannsverk. – Last in the supply chain, Ronny Schjelderup is director of emergency preparedness at the State Administrator in Troms and Finnmark. He confirms that all food must come from far away should a crisis arise. – We are last in the supply chain, and it is clear that we are vulnerable if security of supply is breached, says Schjelderup. He refers in particular to the area of Nord-Troms and Finnmark. Ronny Schjelderup is director of emergency preparedness at the State Administrator in Troms and Finnmark. He says Northern Norway is last in the supply chain. Photo: Marius Fiskum / State Administrator in Troms and Finnmark With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost two years ago as a backdrop, the director of emergency preparedness is aware that crises can arise almost overnight. – It shows that things happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Anything we can put in place in the form of solutions that contribute to strengthened social security and preparedness is preferable. He is supported by Elisabeth Vik Aspaker, state administrator in Troms and Finnmark. – It is important primarily for us who live here. But in a crisis situation, the Armed Forces must also receive food supplies from the civilian side. She says it will be very important that the county can provide what is required in a situation where the supply lines do not function normally. The Ministry of Trade and Fisheries writes to news that for security reasons they cannot disclose where the food stocks are located. Nor how far north the northernmost is. Taken seriously The municipalities in northern Norway are also keen to get emergency storage in place. Alta mayor and leader of Vest-Finnmark council, Monica Nielsen (Ap), shows how the corona pandemic affected the region. – When the borders were closed, we had to make do with what we had here, says Nielsen. She recently visited the Minister of Defence, where the topic was raised. – My impression is that it is taken seriously, but it is important that something happens quickly. Alta Mayor Monica Nielsen says it is important to have emergency storage in Finnmark. Her impression is that food safety is taken seriously by the Storting. Photo: JO HERMSTAD TRONSEN / news – Give gas Farmer Geir Over Mannsverk points out that in a crisis Norway only has what is in the shops and in the barns around the country. – When the shops are empty, we have to start eating away at the barns. We can produce milk, but then we must also have stock of concentrate and feed ingredients. It is an important way to go. – How quickly do you think we should build up emergency stocks for Northern Norway? – We are many years in arrears, so we just have to step on the gas. We must start today.
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No food stocks in the north: – Food security is far too bad – news Troms and Finnmark
