Helena Hansson, professor of economics with a focus on agricultural economics at SLU and programme director of Mistra Food Futures, took part in the Nordic Council’s panel on the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, which have created a heated debate in Sweden and the other Nordic countries.
Mistra Food Futures’ perspective on the issue is that consumption and production are not the same thing, i.e. that what we are recommended to eat does not have to correspond to what we can produce, as trade can even out the differences between consumption and production. Furthermore, that our consumption today leaves a large footprint abroad through, for example, imported meat and that reducing this through more consumption of legumes (domestic or imported) would be desirable. As well as getting more production of legumes in the crop rotations at home in Sweden, both to reduce the need for artificial fertiliser but also to secure the supply of domestic legumes in the event of a crisis or war where we can be cut off from the outside world.
You can take part of the entire seminar here.
