The Lantmännen Research Foundation grants Farming of the Future-related research SEK 15 million

The Lantmännen Research Foundation is now presenting the allocation of SEK 28 million to innovative projects in the 2023 call, of which SEK 15 million will go to research related to the agriculture and its machinery.

06 February 2024, Sweden: Since 1986, the Foundation has invested in research along the entire value chain. Among other things, a network of researchers has been created who work together to increase agricultural productivity and reduce climate impact in order to secure the food supply and create a more robust food system.

“Among the new projects, several focuses on increased productivity and resource efficiency, which generate crucial knowledge to shape the sustainable agriculture of the future,” says Helena Fredriksson, Head of Research at the Lantmännen Research Foundation.

In order to ensure broad support and secure the benefits for Swedish agriculture, all applications are assessed by review panels consisting of representatives from academia, Lantmännen’s officials and Lantmännen’s members, active Swedish farmers.

One of the projects will investigate the seed’s shooting power – its ability to grow – to develop a better measure of seed quality with improved emergence and the possibility of higher yields under different growing conditions. In another project, methodology for faster and more accurate analysis of if seed-borne diseases will be developed, which can contribute to improved control of plant diseases and more efficient plant breeding. Funding has also been granted for a project in which researchers, together with Lantmännen, will further develop image analyses of grain using AI technology.

Another important project focuses on precision farming and reducing the “yield gap”, i.e., the difference between the maximum potential of the field and the current yield outcome. By understanding the diversity and potential of the field, efforts can be adapted, higher yields can be achieved, and food security can be secured. The projects, which aim to optimize yields using satellite data, farm-specific field data and decision support systems, provide crucial knowledge to ensure sustainable cultivation with good yields and quality under varying climatic conditions.

In summary, Lantmännen hopes that the results from the projects will strengthen both crop production and animal production in Sweden, with increased productivity and reduced climate impact. Lantmännen and the Research Foundation are in a unique position to use the knowledge in various operations and create value throughout the value chain. This can be done through product innovations, process improvements and new business models that contribute to a further thriving agriculture.

“Over the years, we have participated in over five hundred research projects and studies, and we will continue to build on our knowledge. Long-term research investments are crucial to drive the transition, solve sustainability related challenges and close the innovation gap by 2050. It is with pleasure that we, my colleagues and I, contribute to this transition,” concludes Helena Fredriksson, Head of Research at the Lantmännen Research Foundation.

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