Local knowledge to strengthen livelihoods, culture and nature across the Arctic

Background

Arctic regions are facing major environmental and societal changes.

The project is built on collaboration among researchers, local stakeholders, and Indigenous peoples, placing local, traditional, and Indigenous knowledge at the center of developing solutions tailored to local needs and challenges.

Objectives

The goal is to develop methods and recommendations that can strengthen resilient coastal communities and contribute to a sustainable future in the Arctic.

The project also aims to:

• Reduce communities’ vulnerability to climate change
• Promote increased and sustainable local value creation
• Strengthen the recognition and use of local, traditional, and Indigenous knowledge
• Increase the participation of local communities, young people, and women in decision-making processes

What we do

The project works across four Arctic regions: Lake Inari area (Finland), Varangerfjord (Norway), Vindelälven-Juhttátahkka (Sweden) and Kujataa (Greenland). The Varanger pilot explores how fisheries and marine resources can contribute to sustainable local development in the region. Through dialogue with fishers, local communities, and other stakeholders, the pilot seeks to identify challenges, opportunities, and future solutions for strengthening local value creation and knowledge-based management of coastal resources in the Arctic.

Nofima contributes research on fisheries, seafood value chains, and sustainable resource utilization, working together with local stakeholders to integrate scientific knowledge with local experience and traditional knowledge.

You can follow the project’s progress on the ArcticKnows own website:
ArcticKnows – Regenerative Arctic Knowledges and Economies

Contact person

Ingrid Kvalvik

Senior Scientist
+47 77 62 90 43