Event: Climate Smart Food Chain 8.10.2025
Climate Smart Food Chain – from research findings to practical implications – the seminar was held in Finnish on October 8th and organized by Food 2.0, Finnish Meteorological Institute and HKFoods. Dowload presentations by clicking the button, and read key points from the summary below.
Summary of the Day
How can research-based knowledge be transformed into practical climate action in agriculture and the food system?
On October 8, 2025, experts from science, government, and industry gathered at the Finnish Meteorological Institute to explore how climate-smart agriculture can move from theory to practice. The seminar, “Climate-Smart Food Chain – From Research to Practical Solutions”, hosted by the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Valio Food 2.0, and HKFoods, showcased research, real-world applications, and collaborative models for reducing emissions, improving soil health and supporting sustainable food production.
A common framework for climate action
The seminar opened with a session focused on establishing a shared language and framework for climate-smart food systems. “I am thrilled to see such diverse group gathered here today,” said Jari Liski (FMI) in his opening speech, emphasizing the importance of translating scientific insights into actionable strategies.
Liski introduced the Carbon Action initiative, a collaboration between the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the Baltic Sea Action Group. The initiative researches the climate impact of agriculture and aims to improve soil carbon sequestration through science-based farming practices. Birgitta Vainio-Mattila (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) outlined the evolving policy landscape, including EU climate legislation and national targets for carbon neutrality by 2035, and Mikko Järvinen (HKFoods) brought in a business perspective, stressing the role of sustainability as a competitive advantage and highlighting digitalisation and data as tools for driving change.
From field trials to verified impact
The majority of the morning focused on research insights – lessons and actionable findings from various scientific studies – exploring how agricultural climate impacts can be improved, verified, and implemented. Presentations covered farmer-led field trials and soil health, carbon verification systems, livestock sustainability, life cycle analysis, and strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to practical applications and system-level solutions. Topics explored included carbon and greenhouse gas measurement technologies, climate-smart nitrogen use at farm level, science-based climate monitoring and global policy perspectives, and biogas as a circular solution for nutrient recycling and emission reduction.
A real highlight of the day was the announcement by the Säästopankki Bank Group and Baltic Sea Action Group: Säästöpankki is joining the Carbon Action network to raise awareness of regenerative farming among its customers. As part of the initiative, it aims to develop a new set of lending criteria tailored to regenerative farming.
“Carbon action is a wonderful platform for change, with members ranging from farmers to food manufacturers – and we are thrilled to welcome a financial actor,” said Ville Wahlberg from BSAG.
Engaging conversations and insights from the panel
Throughout the day, the seminar atmosphere remained lively and interactive, with participants actively engaging in discussions and posing thoughtful questions. The afternoon culminated in a panel discussion, moderated by Layla Hackerstedt (FMI) to wrap up the learnings from the day.
Panellists emphasized the need for clear, farmer-friendly communication of scientific findings, economic incentives, and peer learning. Participants noted the need for demonstrating the economic value of sustainable practices to producers as well as the role of policy in shaping incentives and ensuring that support systems are aligned with climate goals. The power of farmer-to-farmer learning and the importance of integrating research into education and advisory services were also highlighted. The message was clear: collaboration across sectors, clarity in communication, and commitment to continuous learning are key to building a resilient and climate-smart food system.
As the seminar drew to a close, Veera Virtanen, Food 2.0 ecosystem lead at Valio, summed up the spirit of the day: “We won’t move forward unless we connect and collaborate. The buzz of conversation today shows how engaged and active this community is.”
Food 2.0
Food 2.0 is extensive research, development and innovation project, aiming to create a Finnish nature-smart food system in which growth, profitability and added value are built on the basis of sustainable production.