News

How to approach issues related to data access, reliability and security?

One way to approach this is by putting the questions into a context, making them more concrete. Another is to learn from what others have done, looking at initiatives carried out for example at European level.

In this online meeting you will have the opportunity to listen to speakers with experience as well as take part in discussions and to share with others. Welcome to join!

WHEN: June 3, 10.00-12.00 CET

WHERE: Online via Zoom, link will be sent out a couple of days before the meeting

FOCUS: Highlighting opportunities and best practices, as well as challenges with regard to data management

SIGN UP by 21th May
Participating at the event is free of any charge

AGENDA

▪ Reflections from a testbed – Data challenges in practice, Kjersti Balke Hveem, head of NIBIO’s Centre for Precision Agriculture

▪ Keynote lecture – Data management, Suzanne Dumouchel, Head of European Cooperation TGIR Huma-Num (CNRS), Partnerships Coordinator of OPERAS AISBL & Member of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Association Board of Directors

▪ Panel discussion – Critical data management questions, Ohad Graber-Soudry, commercial lawyer (advokat) X-officio, Tomas Klingström (Gigacow testbed), PhD Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Erik Willén (Auto2 testbed), Process Manager at Skogforsk

▪ Interactive session, all participants are invited to discuss predefined questions

More information

“Redefining digital bioeconomy” is a new report reviewing how the digital transformation affects gender inequalities in the Nordic bioeconomy.

The bioeconomy is largely male dominated. Moving towards a digital bioeconomy, the sector is married with the even more heavily male dominated tech industry. This imposes the question of how the gender balance in the sector will be affected as the digital transformation permeates the bioeconomy. The newly published report “Redefining digital bioeconomy” sets out to answer this question by reviewing existing literature on the topic.

While there are plenty of research within the areas of bioeconomy, digitalisation and gender, literature combining all three areas is sparse. This literature review therefore studies the three areas in pairs (gender–bioeconomy/ digitalisation–bioeconomy/gender–digitalisation), with the aim of identifying and presenting the most frequent themes within these pairs. The findings show that:

1) The gender–bioeconomy literature focuses on understanding how the bioeconomy became a field with masculine connotations, symbolically as well as in practice;

2) Within the digitalisation–bioeconomy literature, the most prominent discussions include the use of data analytics, social sustainability, and challenges in adapting to the technologies;

3) The literature on gender–digitalisation raises stereotypes and the masculine construction of technology, education and labour market issues as well as gender equality.

By looking at the intersection of the three areas, analysing the commonalities in the identified themes, two major conclusions are drawn. Firstly, the momentum of the shift in workforce demand both in the bioeconomy and technology sectors could be used to actively redefine the stereotypical bioeconomy worker. Secondly, the need for female leadership, mentors and networks is widely emphasised as key to attract more women to the sectors.

With this as a backdrop, the report suggests and problematises five action points moving forward:

• Increasing the number of female role models
• Mentorship programs
• Networks for young professionals and students
• Further research in the intersection of digitalisation, bioeconomy, and gender
• Tools and methods to incorporate this topic in bioeconomy-related education

The review constitutes the first step in the Bioequality project and will serve as a foundation for informed discussions and decisions for action. The project is funded by three organisations linked to the Nordic Council of Ministers, SNS, NKJ and NIKK, and runs until December 2021.

Farm Business Competence Network Finland is a new national initiative that brings together research, advice and education and builds interaction with other actors in the food system.

The aim of the collaborative network is to promote and facilitate scientific knowledge into the better use of farm enterprises. The AgriHubi Network promotes cooperation between actors and builds new connections thematically. Main themes are farm business management, knowledge management and smart farming. Here Sari Forsman-Hugg, head of the AgriHubi Network, and Liisa Personen talk more about the network.

Makes farm enterprises stronger
“AgriHubi helps farm enterprises develop their competitiveness, resilience and renewal in a chancing operational environment. We are currently building roadmaps on the themes of farm business management and smart farming. Roadmaps will be developed together with network representatives. The aim of the roadmaps is to make visible and concrete what changes and action points are needed to make the Finnish agriculture more profitable and competitive in 2030”, says Sari Forsman-Hugg, Head of the AgriHubi Network.

”AgriHubi is connected and willing to collaborate with other national and international networks within this field. Collaboration with European SmartAgriHubs network is important for us, as well as introducing testbeds among AgriHubi partners to the Nordic Testbed Network”, Liisa Pesonen emphasizes.

Actors on the area of ​​discomfort
“The strength and effectiveness of AgriHubi comes from working together. Real change arises from questioning established patterns of action. We must step into the zone of discomfort and experiment new ways of doing things. Farm entrepreneurs are encouraged to participate in pilot projects”, Sari Forsman-Hugg emphasizes.

AgriHubi provides an interaction forum where farm enterprises can influence and participate in the reform of education in the field, especially in farm management and the digitalization and the development of advisory services. A web service will be built for AgriHubi, where network operators will compile the latest research data and solutions based on both research and development work.

Coordinated by LUKE
The AgriHubi network is coordinated by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). To support the network, a steering group has been set up, representing a wide range of actors and stakeholders in the sector: farm companies and producer organizations, educational institutions, advisory organizations, research institutes and companies in the food chain. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry supports the work.

For more information about the AgriHubi Network, contact Sari Forsman-Hugg, Head of the AgriHubi Network: sari.forsman-hugg@luke.fi