Deep Roots

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Image: Sampo-Rosenlew´s archive

It is vital to have appropriate machinery to manage the growing size of family farms in Finland

Today, forests have also gained value as a source of bioen-

ergy. About 80 per cent of Finnish renewable energy comes

from bioenergy. Biomass entrepreneurship has become a new

business model for farmers, supplying typically local custom-

ers with energy produced from wood fuels. Wood is a very

useful commodity; it can be used to replace non-renewable

materials and fuels.

The possibilities in bioeconomy are remarkable. The green

economy creates vast opportunities for farms and creates new

kinds of jobs and businesses in the rural areas. Farms are

being encouraged to invest in bioenergy production and new

bioenergy businesses are supported.

It is expected that innovations in the bioeconomy field will

boost sustainable development, employment and competi-

tiveness in the rural areas. By increasing energy efficiency

we are also increasing the profitability of agriculture and

reducing emissions.

The service sector is another rising business combined with

family farms, especially tourism. Rural areas that are close to

cities or tourist areas, such as ski resorts, profit most from the

different kind of services that farms and farmers can provide

to visitors. Finns highly value the clean natural landscape, and

this offers many seasonal activities – not to forget Lapland

and Santa Claus – both to Finnish and foreign tourists.

The tradition of cooperation is strong in the rural areas and

there are numerous networks among local entrepreneurs. For

example, cooperation between a local food producer and a

tourism entrepreneur brings them both benefits. Also, online

shopping has opened a wide market for small-scale producers.

Policies supporting family farming

Finnish agriculture’s competitiveness is supported as a part

of the EU agricultural policy. These supports have made it

possible to enlarge production volumes and to modernize

production. For example, an increasing amount of dairy cattle

are kept in loose housing where they can move around freely.

Finnish rural development is based on local needs.

The average age of a Finnish farmer is now 50.7 years. The

number of farmers under the age of 35 has decreased, but the

support given to farms in the process of generation is aimed

at keeping young farmers involved in agriculture. According

to many studies the support given to farms is significant in

developing activities and changes. Supporting the generation

shift in a farm is crucial. Up to 40 per cent of applicants for

this support would not have continued their parents’ work

on the farm had there not been support. This support has

lowered the average age of farmers. A fifth of new generation

farmers are women.

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