What happens to food if the power goes out, payment systems stop working, or transportation is disrupted? Now, stakeholders from across the food supply chain are coming together to find ways forward.
More than just tin cans and water jugs
Dalarna is well-positioned, with a diverse range of local producers and businesses of various sizes and specializations. But strong food security isn’t something that’s created only when something happens. It’s built every day—on farms, in warehouses, in kitchens, in stores, and through procurement processes that prioritize local products.
Preparedness, then, is more than just canned goods and water containers. It’s about ensuring that food can be produced, processed, and delivered even when everyday life isn’t functioning as usual.
Niklas Kämpargård, an author and lecturer on crisis preparedness and resilience, believes we need to think more broadly. A disruption can be anything from a prolonged power outage to problems with payments, transportation, or the availability of essential supplies and spare parts.
What works in everyday life proves even more resilient in a crisis
“When you have a structure that works in everyday life, there’s a good chance it will work in a crisis. If you don’t have a local structure in everyday life, it’s very difficult to establish one in a crisis,” says Niklas Kämpargård.
And that is precisely where Dalarna has a strength. Here, there are dairies, bakeries, farms, wholesalers, and other food businesses that, together, keep the local food supply chain alive.
But they also need to be able to make a living from their business.
Because if we want local businesses to still be around when they're really needed, we have to support them even when everything is running as usual. This applies to individuals, businesses, and the public sector alike.
Food security requires a well-functioning supply chain
Strong food security is not just about how much can be produced.
Who processes the raw ingredients? Where is the food stored? Are there electricity, fuel, and spare parts? And how does the food get to stores, restaurants, and public kitchens?
The food supply chain depends on many factors at the same time. Niklas Kämpargård points to local energy production, improved inventory management, and the ability to repair equipment, among other things, as key pieces of the puzzle.
The public sector can also make a difference here. It can do so by guiding how purchasing and procurement are structured—for example, by creating conditions that support a greater number of suppliers, reliable deliveries, and a viable regional food production sector. Better storage facilities and greater adaptability to seasonal variations provide local producers with more opportunities.
On October 19, the discussion will continue at Dalarna Innovations Days.
