Lapland could grow far more food for human consumption, researcher says

A researcher argues that Lapland’s fields currently produce food almost exclusively for animals, despite the region’s strong potential to cultivate potatoes, root vegetables, berries, and fast-growing grain varieties for direct human consumption.

Johanna Leppälä, a specialist in field crop production and natural resources, tells Yle that expanding local food crop cultivation would strengthen national preparedness by preserving agricultural knowledge. “It’s always easier to scale up than to start from scratch,” she notes.

Cities and municipalities could play a key role by offering courses and installing raised garden beds in urban parks, Leppälä suggests. In Kemi, Koivuniemi Park has provided 16 rental beds for four summers, with the city supplying nutrient-rich soil and biochar to improve water and nutrient retention.

Kukka-Maaria Keskitalo, a resident near the park, has rented a bed for several years. She grows spring onions, lettuce, radishes, and, for the first time this year, carrots—chosen for their compatibility with radishes, which deter carrot pests. The annual rent for a bed is €20, a cost she offsets by reducing grocery purchases.

Kemi has also reserved beds this year for a children’s traffic park and a daycare centre. Despite the public setting, Keskitalo reports no vandalism, crediting visibility from nearby apartment windows and respect from passersby, including frisbee golf players.

At a communal therapeutic garden in Loue, Tervola, nearly 1,000 edible and ornamental plants grow in accessible raised beds designed for children and people with limited mobility. The garden operates daily but is also available by appointment.