New pathways to sustainable milk through interdisciplinary research

Today’s  food systems contribute to several major challenges – from climate emissions and loss of biodiversity to depleted soils and unequal access to resources. To create a more sustainable system, we need to transform both how food is produced and how it is consumed.

Agroecology in Sweden?

Today, there is much debate about what sustainable agriculture really means, and opinions often differ. Agroecology has emerged in recent years as an alternative to industrial, large-scale farming. The question is how agroecology can be adapted to Swedish conditions while combining efficient production with fairness and resilience in food systems.

A group of researchers from SLU representing various disciplines will explore this question in a new interdisciplinary research project within the Interdisciplinary Academy (IDA) – an initiative aimed at strengthening interdisciplinary competence across SLU. Over the course of eight months, the group will focus on the Swedish dairy sector, a central part of the country’s food supply.

– We applied to IDA as we are all quite curious and open-minded as researchers. Personally, I find it exciting that we come from different perspectives and experiences but get to work on the same question. It broadens your own perspective and hopefully makes the research more relevant, says Lisa Ekman, the group’s spokesperson.

Enthusiastic researchers eager for collaboration

Lisa Ekman works as a researcher at  the Department of Clinical Sciences, focusing on dairy cows, sustainable food production, and animal welfare.

– It all started with a few of us who were curious about IDA and eager to strengthen our interdisciplinary research skills. We began shaping the research question and reaching out to colleagues we thought could bring valuable perspectives. Some we knew a bit, others only by reputation—but fortunately, everyone we approached was enthusiastic about joining the project!

The group eventually came to include, in addition to Lisa, Johan Karlsson from the Department of Energy and Technology, Brian Kuns from the Department of Urban and Rural Development, and Thomas Slijper and Nina Lind Ranneberg, both from the Department of Economics.

Is agroecology the way forward for sustainability? 

The concept of agroecology means farming in greater harmony with natural ecosystems,  making use of ecosystem services and local resources without depleting them.

– We have all worked with dairy research before, but in different areas. In this project, we will examine the concept of agroecology in relation to Swedish milk production, and explore whether it could help facilitate the transition toward more sustainable production methods, says Lisa.

The group will conduct a literature review to explore the concept of agroecology and map various production methods that could fall under the term. They will also compare agroecology with different regulatory frameworks and other production systems, such as organic or regenerative farming (where natural systems are restored while producing food).

– We are also going to visit a farm and talk to dairy producers about how they view sustainable milk production in the future. One goal of the IDA project is to co-write an application for a larger research project. 

“A fantastic opportunity for development”

The group hopes to increase understanding of both the research question itself and key concepts such as agroecology and sustainable milk production. Equally important is learning how researchers from different disciplines think and work with methods and approaches to move projects forward.

– IDA offers a fantastic opportunity to dedicate time to developing one’s own knowledge, both in interdisciplinary research methods and in specific areas, in our case agroecology. We are all looking forward to improving our skills in interdisciplinary work and having the time to really dive into a new question and write a strong research proposal,  Lisa concludes. 

Text: Cajsa Lithell