News

The Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food has established a National Action Plan for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which will run from 2024 until 2028. 

The overall goal of Norway’s national strategy on genetic resources for food and agriculture is to secure the gene pool for future agriculture and food production. No country is self-sufficient when it comes to genetic resources. Norway plays an active role in international cooperation and is committed to the conservation of its unique genetic resources. Important measures on the way to achieving the overall goal are:

• Strengthen cooperation on genetic resources between the Nordic countries via the Nordic Council of Ministers and by working closely with NordGen.
• Continue to participate in European cooperation on forest, livestock and crop genetic resources.
• Continue to participate in international cooperation on genetic resources, with an emphasis on access and benefit sharing and Farmers’ Rights.
• Increase the share of major food and forage crops whose seeds are stored at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

The Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food stressed the importance of this plan as a key tool to ensure food security and the long-term sustainability of Norwegian agricultural production. The national plan also highlights the role of cooperation with other countries, noting that a large part of the genetic resources used in Norwegian agriculture come from outside the country. 

The action plan will be implemented through existing funding schemes and with the collaboration of multiple public and private sector actors. In addition, a mid-term evaluation is foreseen to ensure that the measures taken are achieving the intended objectives. This effort reinforces Norway's commitment to the protection of agricultural biodiversity and to the development of resilient and sustainable agriculture in the future.

Download Norway's National Action Plan 2024-2028 (in English)