On Friday, the Storting unanimously decided that the government must develop a national strategy for how Norway will succeed with agritech. The proposal, put forward by the Conservative Party, was first discussed in the Industry Committee.
– Today we are seeing the emergence of a new generation of farmers who use drones to inspect their crops, robots to pick berries and precision technology to reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides. This is not science fiction, but reality right now, said Lene Vestgård-Halle at the podium during the debate.
Vestgård-Halle emphasized that the initiative is about far more than technology: It is about rural jobs, new industry and giving young people the desire to stay in agriculture.
Increased focus on export-oriented agritech
Minister of Agriculture and Food Nils Kristen Sandtrøen (Ap) welcomed the proposal and pointed to the great potential for developing agritech solutions that the world needs. He highlighted success stories such as Findmy , a Norwegian company that is a world leader in tracking technology.
– We are a world leader in digital technology for grazing animals. Norwegian companies are already exporting digital solutions for both cattle and sheep in andre Even camels use tracking systems developed in Norway, Sandtrøen said.
He referred to innovation communities in Norway for vegetables, which have developed solutions that combat weeds, fungi and pests by steaming the soil.
– This shows how, with the Norwegian agricultural model, we also provide value creation and opportunities for companies to create innovations that can be exported, said the Minister.
He also mentioned a number of instruments that the state currently supports, such as Bionova , funding for green vocational school offerings and the food grain partnership.
The industry as a whole sees great opportunities
AgriFoodTech Norway is a collaboration between the country's leading incubators, clusters and innovation environments, which helps agritech companies with financing, test markets, exports and international networks. Behind the collaboration are Klosser Innovasjon , NCE Heidner Biocluster , T:lab , Aggrator Inkubator Ås and Nordic Edge .
– We saw early on that agritech companies needed more tailored assistance beyond what Innovation Norway and andre policy actors offer. Through AgriFoodTech Norway, we gather expertise from all over the country, which gives Norwegian companies with international potential far better growth opportunities than if we worked separately regionally. This parliamentary decision confirms that the national coordination we have established is the right way to go to build a new Norwegian export industry, says Håvard Belbo, CEO T:lab.
Agritech is becoming a driving force in the green shift in agriculture. Technologies such as precision agriculture, robotics, sensors and artificial intelligence are giving farmers the tools to optimize resource use, reduce waste, improve yields and strengthen animal welfare, while reducing their climate footprint.
– This is a historic breakthrough for Norwegian agritech, and for everyone working with the agriculture of the future. The fact that the Storting is now asking the government to develop its own agritech strategy sends a strong signal that this is no longer a niche, it is national industrial policy, says Gunnar Crawford from Nordic Edge, one of five partners behind the AgriFoodTech Norway initiative.
A strong domestic market forms the basis for global growth
Marit Mjøen Solem of FindMy, which was highlighted by the minister as an export example, emphasizes that Norwegian agriculture is the very foundation of the agritech industry:
– Without Norwegian agriculture, there is no Norwegian agritech. FindMy is nothing without the Norwegian farmer, and the domestic market they represent. To succeed, we must strengthen the Norwegian farmer and provide opportunities to invest in new technology through risk relief. When the farmer can choose the right type of technology, which makes food production easier and better, it creates a basis for us to further develop our products and then take them out into the world, says Solem.
A milestone for Norwegian agritech
Kristiane Haug Berg is head of agrifoodtech at Klosser Innovasjon. She has worked closely with agritech companies, research and development environments, and politicians to promote agrifoodtech.
– This is recognition of the work our members do every day. They develop technology that not only strengthens Norwegian food production, but also creates new jobs and export opportunities, says Berg.
Håvard Belbo points out that the decision represents a milestone.
– It is important that Norway seizes the opportunity to build a new export industry within agritech. Therefore, it is a milestone for us at T:lab, who have been committed to developing the agritech industry since 2017,
The global agrifoodtech market is estimated to be worth $700 billion by 2027. AgriFoodTech Norway believes that Norway has a real opportunity to capture a significant share of this. The Storting's decision to ask the government to prepare a national strategy for how Norway can succeed with agritech is an important step in the right direction.
Watch the debate in the Storting here .
Read the Conservative Party's representative proposal here.
Read the industry committee's recommendation here.