NORFARM: Empowering Small-Scale Farmers:

Business Growth and Preparedness in Norrbotten’s Local Food Systems (NorrlandsNavet).

About the project

NORFARM is a need-driven research project that aims to strengthen small-scale farming and local food systems in northern Sweden. The project takes its starting point in the real, everyday challenges faced by small-scale farmers and responds to identified needs within the region.

By combining applied research, dialogue with farmers, and collaboration with regional actors, NORFARM contributes to knowledge development that is directly relevant for practice. The project focuses on strengthening business capacity, preparedness, and long-term resilience among small-scale farms, thereby supporting sustainable regional development and increased robustness of local food systems in Norrbotten.

Why NORFARM?

Small-scale farmers play a key role in regional self-sufficiency, crisis preparedness, biodiversity, and rural livelihoods. At the same time, many operate under conditions that are not sufficiently addressed by existing support systems, innovation initiatives, or policy frameworks.

NORFARM was initiated to respond to this gap. The project is grounded in the NorrlandsNavet mission to support need-driven innovation and research that creates tangible value for northern Sweden. By starting from farmers’ needs, motivations, and local conditions, NORFARM ensures that new knowledge and solutions are relevant, applicable, and anchored in the regional context.

The project recognises small-scale farmers as important actors in the regional food system and as entrepreneurs whose knowledge and experience are central to future development.

Project objectives

The overall objective of NORFARM is to strengthen the resilience and long-term viability of small-scale farms in northern Sweden, in line with Norrlandsnavet’s focus on regional benefit and societal relevance.

Specific objectives are to:

• Identify and analyse needs, challenges, and opportunities among small-scale farmers
• Support business development and preparedness through applied, practice-oriented knowledge
• Strengthen collaboration and knowledge exchange within local and regional food systems
• Contribute insights that can inform future innovation initiatives, support structures, and policy development

Next steps

In the next phase, NORFARM will:

• Engage small-scale farmers through interviews, workshops, and dialogue-based activities
• Analyse farming practices, and business models in a northern context
• Co-develop and disseminate practical insights and knowledge resources
• Facilitate collaboration between farmers, researchers, and regional stakeholders