Representatives of Norway’s national bioeconomy and food systems cluster, NCE Heidner Biocluster, namely Linn Dybdahl, Lise Lotte Dalen and Gurill Mediaas, visited North Savo from 23 to 25 September 2026 to explore the region’s strengths in food systems, the bioeconomy, and research, development and innovation activities.
The aim of the visit was to deepen discussions and strengthen mutual understanding of collaboration opportunities between stakeholders in North Savo and Norway.
During the visit, the guests were introduced to the food cluster ecosystem and operating environment in North Savo and Finland. Discussions focused on opportunities for developing joint international projects, with particular interest in sustainable food systems, food security and preparedness, as well as innovative feed and feed ingredient solutions.
There is a strong foundation for collaboration. NCE Heidner coordinates a national mission in Norway aimed at increasing the self-sufficiency and sustainability of feed production. North Savo, in turn, is one of Finland’s leading centres of expertise in dairy and beef production and feed-related innovation. The region is also advancing sustainable agricultural solutions through initiatives such as the Grass Living Lab (Nurmi Living Lab). These shared interests create excellent opportunities for research, development and innovation collaboration, particularly in strengthening sustainable feed value chains and the resilience of food systems.
During their stay in Iisalmi, the visitors were introduced to regional cluster activities, the local food industry ecosystem, and the Finnish model of comprehensive security. In Kuopio, the programme included visits to Savonia’s research and development environments, including WaterLab and BioLab, where discussions focused on research and innovation cooperation as well as new opportunities for future joint activities. The visit concluded at the Maaninka research station of the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), where participants exchanged views on food system security of supply, crisis resilience, and future development needs.
The clusters already have a history of collaboration. Agri-Food Cluster North Savo and NCE Heidner Biocluster have previously worked together on an international project proposal focusing on food security and preparedness. During the visit, discussions also covered the ongoing development of a Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security in North Savo, which attracted considerable interest among the Norwegian partners.
The visit reinforced the view that Finland and Norway share many common goals in sustainable food production, food security, the bioeconomy, and the development of resilient food systems. Several new opportunities for collaboration were identified during the discussions, and their further development will be explored in future joint activities.
Mikko Järvinen was hosting our guests Gurill, Lise Lotte and Linn at Natural resources Institute in Maaninka, Kuopio.
Thank you to NCE Heidner Biocluster for visiting Iisalmi and Kuopio! During the two-day programme, we had the opportunity to exchange views on the future of food systems, food security and preparedness, the development of feed value chains, and the role of clusters in driving innovation. The discussions reinforced our shared commitment to strengthening international collaboration in support of sustainable and resilient food systems.
The visit was partially supported by the FinFoodNet project.
FinFoodNet strengthens collaboration, internationalisation, and innovation within the Finnish food ecosystem by bringing together companies, research organisations, and clusters to create new opportunities for cooperation. Building connections with international partners such as NCE Heidner Biocluster supports the project’s goals and helps pave the way for new joint initiatives, knowledge exchange, and international development projects.
