Whether growers operate indoors or out, vegetable production “seems to be on the rise in the Arctic,” says Arctic Now, a news partnership based around the polar north. “Greenhouses and hydroponic systems are beacons of hope for the improvement of food security and health issues, and a diversification of the economy in remote Arctic communities.”
“The number of vegetable farms in Alaska, Norway, Canada and other Arctic regions appears to have increased,” says Arctic Now. Local production means a more reliable supply of food that stays fresh longer. “Even communities traditionally relying on subsistence have become increasingly dependent on costly imports, which makes it harder to eat healthy, increases health issues and results in financial issues related to food security.”
In Norway, vegetable farming raises the prospect of a sustainable “bioeconomy” compared to reliance on fossil fules. A farmer-owned company in Norway grew 500 boxes of organic vegetables, herbs, potatoes and berries during the short 2017 growing season. “Alaska likewise sees the potential in vegetable farming,” said Arctic Now. Its 750 farms grow only 4 percent of the food consumed annually. “several new projects aim at supplying people living in the Arctic with fresh vegetables, some even year-round.”