Published 28.06.2022

In recent years, Norway has seen numerous development projects leading to the loss of significant areas of arable land. This incremental approach has resulted in considerable losses of valuable agricultural soil, threatening the country's food security.

Norges Miljøvernforbund raises significant concern over the ongoing loss of valuable agricultural land, with development projects like football stadiums, warehouses, and roads encroaching on food production areas. Norway's increasing reliance on food imports for essentials like grains and vegetables highlights the growing vulnerability to global disruptions, such as the war in Ukraine. As food security becomes more uncertain, the country faces mounting pressure to protect its farmland and ensure it can produce enough food for the future.

Miljøvernforbundet has called for a permanent halt to the destruction of farmland. In a recent consultation response, the organization expressed strong opposition to Bodø Glimt's plans to build a new football stadium on former agricultural land at Rønvikjordene in Bodø. This reflects the broader concern over the ongoing conversion of agricultural land, which threatens food security and sustainable land use.

Norway's agricultural land constitutes only about 3% of the country's total area, with just one-third of this suitable for growing food crops. Many of the most productive areas are near rapidly growing towns, intensifying the pressure on the limited land resources available. As urban development increases, preserving these vital farmland areas is becoming increasingly difficult, posing a threat to food security.

Norway’s topography, with its fjords and mountains, contributes to the scarcity of arable land. The country now has the smallest area for cereal cultivation in Europe. The ongoing war in Ukraine, often referred to as Europe’s “breadbasket,” has significantly reduced grain exports, affecting global food security, including in Norway.

Agriculture Minister Sandra Borch has confirmed that the share of available arable land in Norway has significantly decreased over the past 20 years. This is critical since Norway is not self-sufficient in either cereals or vegetables, making the country vulnerable in times of crisis.

In an effort to protect agricultural land, the Norwegian parliament passed a new national land conservation strategy last year. The goal is to reduce the conversion of cultivated land to a maximum of 3,000 decares per year by 2025. From 2015 to 2020, an average of 1,650 decares annually was repurposed, mostly for transport projects. Recently, the Norwegian Directorate of Agriculture stopped the development of 15 decares of fully cultivated land in Rissa, Trøndelag, marking an important step in the right direction.