In times of geopolitical, economic, and environmental uncertainty, food security has returned to the agenda across the Nordic countries. As a cross-border dairy cooperative operating in seven countries, Arla Foods believes future food systems must be both globally interconnected and locally rooted.

While national strategies like infrastructure resilience, stockpiling, and food self-sufficiency risk becoming inward-looking, we must also recognize our global interdependence and the value of cross-border collaboration. Dairy is a prime example: milk production is inherently local, tied to land and community, but global trade is essential for meeting worldwide nutritional needs. Global food security begins with ensuring local farmers can produce and process milk sustainably.

In Sweden, where food security is central to civil defence, Arla has emphasized that food systems in crisis are only as strong as in peacetime. Strengthening conditions and competitiveness for farmers must be the top priority—an approach now reflected in Sweden’s updated national food strategy.

Environmental challenges are similarly global in scope but local in action. Soil health, water quality, biodiversity and emissions depend on local conditions. Arla’s FarmAhead program therefor supports farmers with local data and rewards for measurable outcomes, empowering them to act based on their own expertise.

Ultimately, the dairy sector’s strength lies in the knowledge and resilience of its local farmers. To unlock the power of dairy, we must start from the ground up.