Some of the projects that were developed and funded through Green Research are:
Sensors for nutritional analysis of livestock manure
Grains crops: Ground cover and plants to prevent erosion and bind nutrients in the soil
Livestock manure, lowering carbon emissions and circular agriculture/low external input farming
Potential uses for ‘bio-rest’, the liquid by-product in the breakdown of organic matter such as food waste
Bio-coal and green mulching
Experiments in potato farming to avoid potato blight
When creating Green Research in 2008 the farmers and producers in agriculture wanted to get more involved in Research and Development and be actively engaged in creating research questions concerning farming and food production as opposed to reading the scientific articles and results afterwards. Green Research aimed to create the space for developing new knowledge that farmers and producers were asking for, and to use this knowledge in collaboration between farmers and producers in the agricultural chain, with business owners, scientific communities and the public sector and for the good of all.
An important factor was – and still is – to contribute to more user participation in research by:
* Giving agriculture the opportunity to initiate and contribute to scientific research and the contribution of new knowledge.
* Making scientific research of importance for a wide variety of farmers and business owners in agriculture
* Creating closer collaborations between the industry, R&D and public sector
Through Green Research and the three major time frames of the projects, the industry has been working across disciplines to focus on collaborations and projects in agriculture. The aim is to produce more research in agriculture and increase collaboration and communication among the actors involved in the farming industry. Through these projects we have witnessed increased knowledge, expanded networks, new practices and implementations that will be important for agriculture in Central Norway. The aim is to maintain these practices and to continue developing more knowledge-based practices in farming for the future.
Networks and activities
Network groups, consisting of farmers and producers in the agricultural chain
Visiting the projects
Project workshops
The Conference: Green Research and Development
Creative ideas seminars
Connecting the science community with agriculture for increased collaborations
Expertise and consulting
National Networks Green Research and Development
Agriculture Industry Groups
Every year groups of 5-8 people come together, consisting of participants from various fields of agriculture and stages of production such as farmers, butchers, owners of dairy or egg farmers and so on. Contributing are also consultants, advisors, union representatives and scientists. The groups have a wide demographic bringing people from all over Central Norway.
Agriculture Industry Groups 2019/2020:
* Vegetables, berries, potatoes, fruits
* Animal husbandry
* Climate efficient agriculture
* Grains
* Technology
* Economy, project operations and management
Visiting the projects
Each group visits a farm, or an agricultural production facility. The aim is for the group along with the producer/business owner to define a topic or an area of development and research needs. By starting out this way it is easier for the participants to see the current challenges facing both the farmer and the researcher. After the visit the group will work together on the aspects of the problems or challenges in their project workshops. Each group will put together a project workshop with specific thematic entry points for the problems raised. In these project workshops the participants will define who will be responsible for writing the research grant application and move the process along.
Project Workshops
Thematic project workshops are organized based on the work of each group. The aim of the project workshop is to create an open, informal and goal-oriented space that contributes to increased collaboration and research and development projects of high value. The need for more research, information and ideas for new R&D projects are presented, the issues at hand are mapped out, new project partners get to meet each other, and possible financing options are discussed. Several research projects that have started out this way have gotten funding and become successful projects.
The conference: Green Research and Development
Where will we make money in Norwegian agriculture in the future?
The aim of the conference is to discuss how the agriculture industry will situate itself to make sure that the farmers and producers get to have a say in what is being researched and where scientific research in agriculture will go in the years to come. The aim of the conference is also to address the importance of project management in Green Research and to introduce the people who drive these projects forward.
During the conference various topics are discussed, such as the downsizing of milk production, export assistance, climate change, and what lies on the horizon for the farming community in Trøndelag.
The conference is also a place to celebrate and communicate what has been accomplished through Green Research. The participants explore long-term goals for research in farming and create ownership and pride in the Green Research process. The conference will also run workshops about work methods and new things learned, launch new research projects, and look at future innovation in agriculture.
Creative ideas seminars
These are seminars with participants from agriculture and farming, and there are business owners, advisors from Norwegian Agriculture Consulting and scientists from various R&D fields. This is a creative ideas and brainstorming session on the topics of research in agriculture and what is needed to further regional food production. This seminar contributes to the exchange of information and advice on regional and national sources for project funding.
