Ahead of the National Emergency Preparedness Week, we spoke with Karolina Muhrman, docent at Linköping University, chief initiating officer at Agtech Sweden and operations manager for the national knowledge hub for the digitalisation of agriculture, about how technology can change Swedish food security – and any risks this may entail.
The dual sides of digitalisation
Digital tools, precision farming and advanced farm management systems enable Swedish farmers to increase yields and reduce environmental impact. Technology can contribute to better analyses, more efficient use of resources and greater competitiveness. But this development also has a downside: increased vulnerability to cyber attacks and technology outages.
“So many things on a modern farm are connected today. Systems failure can have major consequences, especially in livestock farming, where ventilation and milking robots depend on stable operation, for example. Therefore, the farmer must always have a Plan B,” says Karolina Muhrman.
Backup power, satellite-based communication solutions and local networks can become crucial security measures should crises knock out the existing technology.
Self-sufficiency versus global trade
Sweden is self-sufficient in cereals, sugar, eggs and carrots – but far from it when it comes to other foods. Finland is an example of the opposite, with around 90 per cent self-sufficiency and a large emergency stockpile.
“We must increase Swedish food production on a broad front, but do so in a competitive way. Otherwise, we risk consumers choosing imports anyway. Technological development is crucial here,” says Karolina Muhrman.
Innovations like the combine harvester, the milking robot and the now emerging field robots show how technology can revolutionise agriculture. In addition, new plasma technology for local fertiliser production and fossil-free biodiesel or e-diesel can reduce dependence on imported input goods.
Climate goals and preparedness – conflict or interaction?
A common question is whether increased food preparedness risks being in conflict with climate goals. Karolina Muhrman says it is the opposite:
“If we produce more food in Sweden, we will reduce imports from countries with greater climate impact. Moreover, much of the new technology has been developed to reduce environmental footprint.”
With the help of cameras and AI, weeds can be spot-treated, which increases the yield and reduces the need for plant protection products. Electric field robots are fossil-free and lightweight, reducing the risk of soil compaction, which can otherwise permanently damage arable land.
