8 THE STATE OF USE OF BIODIVERSITY FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
9.4 Capacity development
9.4.1 Training and extension programmes targeting the conservation and sustainable use of associated biodiversity
Training and extension programmes that target the conservation and sustainable use of associated biodiversity exist in many forms and at different levels, some examples of which are provided in this section of the report.
Some high schools provide practice-oriented education on organic farming. Amongst these schools only the Sogn Jord-og Hagebruksskule (http://sjh.no) is Debio-certified.99
Bioforsk100 initiated the establishment of school gardens to provide children with a unique
"learning by doing" programme to learn more about food production, enjoy nature, respect
everything that lives (i.e. earthworms, bees, etc.) and gain insight in ecological processes.101 In this context, Bioforsk98 produced a series of thematic sheets on, inter alia, food production, life in soils and plant varieties102 while Oikos developed a school project to promote the production and consumption of organic foods.
In 2010, the Environmental Education Network organized a nationwide school project focusing on the importance of earthworms. With the support of scientists from Bioforsk98, this project resulted in the registration of more earthworm species in more locations in Norway than ever before.103 Skoleskogen (forest school) is an educational programme for teachers, school administrators, parents and others interested in interdisciplinary teaching on forests
(http://www.skoleskogen.no). Norway’s "Learning with the Forests" programme, that is based on
99 Debio inspects organic products in Norway and certifies them in accordance with the Norwegian "Regulations on the Production and Labelling of Organic Agricultural Products" (see
http://www.debio.no/information-in-english#sthash.vy31Qta2.dpuf).
100As of 1 July 2015, Bioforsk is part of the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research or NIBIO (Norsk institutt for bioøkonomi).
101http://www.bioforsk.no/ikbViewer/page/prosjekt/hovedtema?p_dimension_id=19960&p_menu_id=19975&p_sub_i d=19962&p_dim2=19963
102http://www.bioforsk.no/ikbViewer/page/prosjekt/tema/artikkel?p_dimension_id=19960&p_menu_id=19975&p_su b_id=19962&p_document_id=107098&p_dim2=19969
103 https://www.miljolare.no/kampanjer/forskningskampanjen/2010
the international "Learning About Forests" initiative, encourages school classes and teachers to go to forests, learn from them and in them, and to share experiences with other countries.
The Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre contributes to enhance knowledge and raise awareness on the importance of (associated) biodiversity for food and agriculture, including through the
distribution of material to schools (e.g. the tree species diversity posters - skogtreplakatene).104 The Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, in cooperation with different actors,
developed a range of initiatives to expose school children to environmental issues, such as the need to conserve biodiversity. The "Environmental backpack" initiative (Den naturlige skolesekken), for example, funds school projects that promote sustainable development and involve cooperation with local communities. Since April 2014, schools across the country can invite environmental ambassadors to come and talk about the "Green Generation" (Generasjon Grønn). In this context, students are among others encouraged to discuss the linkages between climate change, biodiversity loss and other environmental challenges.
Norway was also an active partner in the URBACT Thematic Network "Sustainable Food in Urban Communities", a network that enhanced the exchange of knowledge across Europe on urban sustainable food strategies up until April 2015. Examples of initiatives undertaken in Oslo in this context include the establishment of the "Geitmyra School Garden", an area where school children can participate and get insights in gardening and beekeeping, "Bogstad Farm", where the general public can observe farming and the production of vegetables and animal products while enjoying the landscape and the "Hærligheten Wasteland Garden", where wasteland caught in between two streets was transformed into a crop growing area using growing boxes.105
9.4.2 Higher education programmes on the conservation and sustainable use of associated biodiversity
In Norway, there are quite a few higher education programmes specifically targeting the conser-vation and use of associated biodiversity. A number of these programmes are listed in Table 6.
104 http://www.skogoglandskap.no/nyheter/2013/Nye_plakater_om_skogtrer/newsitem
105 http://www.sustainable-everyday-project.net/urbact-sustainable-food/category/oslo
Table 6 Higher education programmes in Norway targeting the conservation and use of associated ecosystem-‐based management, vaccines for fish and the development of industry and society.
Professional Study, Bachelor and Master
University of Tromsø -‐
The Arctic University of Norway
Courses on physiology and marine ecology Bachelor
University of Bergen Biology programmes including specializations in:
aquaculture; fisheries and management; marine biodiversity; evolution and ecology; microbiology; and developmental biology and physiology
The University's ecology course focuses, among others, on the processes that influence patterns at specimen, population, community, and ecosystem level.
The University's Biology Department includes a Marine biodiversity group that explores marine biological fields and studies the diversity of marine organisms through multidisciplinary projects.
Master
Several other universities, such as the University of Oslo and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), as well as a number of regional colleges of higher education also provide programmes and courses of relevance to biodiversity and ecology.
Through their different faculties and departments, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and the University of Nordland in Bodø offer a broad range of courses involving the conservation and sustainable use of associated biodiversity. Several regional colleges of higher education (Distriktshøgskoler) propose similar educational programmes at Bachelor level.
9.4.3 Research institutions with programmes on the conservation and sustainable use of associated biodiversity
Among the main institutions that are directly involved in research on the conservation and sustainable use of associated biodiversity, are NIBIO;106 the Institute of Marine Research
(Havforskningsinstituttet);the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA); the Norwegian Institute for water research (NIVA); the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU); the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU); the Sogn og Fjordane University College; the University of Bergen; the University of Oslo; the University of Tromsø-the Arctic University of Norway; and several regional colleges of higher education.
Biodiversity and ecosystem services, as well as effects of land use, climate change and pollution are amongst NINA's key research themes. In relation to the conservation and sustainable use of
associated biodiversity and wild foods in particular, relevant initiatives include projects on reindeer husbandry and predators, the organization of a seminar on ecosystem services and retribution of ecosystem services, the mapping of bees, including bumblebees, and the monitoring of hollow oaks.
106 As of 1 July 2015, Bioforsk, the Norwegian Agricultural Economics Research Institute and the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute merged into the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research or NIBIO (Norsk institutt for bioøkonomi).
Hollow oaks provide a habitat for many different elements of associated biodiversity, including insects, fungi and lichen. Photo: Dan Aamlid / NIBIO
NIBIO does research and provides information on, inter alia, forests, soils, outlying fields and landscapes. The Institute generates knowledge that is used by the government, the private sector and the broader public to ensure the sustainable management and development of land resources.
NIVA is an environmental research organisation committed to research, monitoring, assessment and studies on freshwater, coastal and marine environments in addition to environmental technology. Key areas of work include environmental contaminants, biodiversity and climate related issues.
NMBU works towards the sustainable development of natural resources, including their use and conservation.
NTNU is involved in a broad range of research programmes, some of which are of relevance to the conservation and sustainable use of associated biodiversity. NTNU houses the Centre for
Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD) that aims to develop into an interdisciplinary centre for research into changes in time and space of biological diversity at different organism levels. The three primary research areas of the Centre include population dynamics, evolution and community dynamics (http://www.ntnu.edu).
The Sogn og Fjordane University College offers programmes and undertakes research on landscape planning, as well as on geohazards and climate change.
The University of Bergen has an extensive marine research programme that focuses, inter alia, on marine and fisheries biology and climate change.
9.4.4 Gaps to fill to develop knowledge and capacity in the longer term
There is quite some expertise in Norway on the management and sustainable use of biodiversity for food and agriculture, especially within the fields of forest, animal and plant genetic resources.
However, with respect to the less commercialized species, varieties and breeds and to associated biodiversity species, there are still some major knowledge and information gaps. Some of these gaps are the result of the fact that there still is a general lack of understanding of their importance and value, both outside and within the farming community and among the relevant authorities.
This is an overriding limitation that needs to be addressed. The Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre, with its broad competencies within the field of genetic resources for food and agriculture, contributes to close these existing knowledge and information gaps. However, still much can be done to improve the understanding and awareness on the importance and value of the different components of food and agriculture among their users, relevant decision-makers and the broader public.
To increase the knowledge of the management and sustainable use of associated species, thorough survey and identification work is needed. This requires the support of species specialists and taxonomists, of which the country has very few. The recruitment in this field of work is low.
Recruiting new taxonomists will require acknowledging the importance of taxonomy.