About 8,000 needed to cope on farms – mostly in Skåne

Region Skåne will invest 2.7 million crowns over three years, among other things to encourage more people to find jobs in agriculture.

– We’re giving additional funding from the regional development board to back up the food industry, says Anna Jähnke (M), chairman of the regional development board.

The background is that Sweden’s degree of self-sufficiency as regards food is low, about 50 per cent. There are only three foods where Sweden is wholly self-supporting – sugar, carrots and cereals.

The manufacturing industry, including the food sector, is also classed as one of the three most vulnerable branches because of the corona crisis.

Now a plan of action on several levels is being drawn up – among other things more places are needed to provide practical training, and a campaign is needed to increase awareness.

There can also be information directed to people whose language is not Swedish, and validation of foreign merits to help shorten the learning period.