With rising geopolitical tensions, climate change, and crises around the world, food self-sufficiency and security are becoming increasingly important.
Norway's food self-sufficiency rate has remained stable at 35–40 per cent over recent decades. Through increased production of Norwegian food products and better use of our resources, the government aims to raise the food self-sufficiency rate (adjusted for imported feed) to 50 per cent by 2030.
In a new report from NIBIO and RURALIS, researchers reveal significant differences in how various countries calculate this self-sufficiency rate.
Self-sufficiency vs coverage rate – what's the difference?
In Norway, we measure the self-sufficiency rate based on the share of food we actually eat, converted to energy. The formula includes national production plus imports minus exports. This covers only food for humans, not animal feed or seed.
The FAO (UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation) calculates what we in Norway call the coverage rate. This indicates how much a country could theoretically produce to meet its energy needs. Unlike the self-sufficiency rate, it does not account for exports. If we used the FAO method, Norway's coverage rate would be higher, thanks to our extensive fish production.
«The units and methods for measuring are of great importance for the result,» explains Simen Wilsher Lohre, senior adviser at NIBIO, who led the work on the report.
Up to 17 per cent difference
The different calculation methods used in Norway and by the FAO result in figures up to 17 per cent lower for Norway's self-sufficiency rate.
«The Norwegian method is tailored to Norwegian conditions and requires detailed data that clearly distinguishes whether production is for food, feed, seed, and so on. Statistics available in many other countries do not make these distinctions,» says Lohre.
The USA and Russia stand out with high self-sufficiency rates for most food items, regardless of the method. Smaller countries like Denmark and Iceland have lower rates. Norway is in the middle tier.
Finland, with a self-sufficiency rate of 58 per cent, appears particularly well-prepared for food supply crises. The country has a goal of high self-sufficiency in emergencies and maintains long-term grain stores equivalent to nine months' consumption.
«The more self-sufficient we are, the safer we are,» emphasises Lohre.
FAO figures also show geographical differences in consumption patterns: nearby countries have fairly similar consumption but greater variation in production structures.
Strongest in meat, dairy, and seafood
Norway's self-sufficiency rate is highest for animal products and dairy. Much of this comes from roughage- and pasture-based livestock farming with sheep and cattle. We are also strong in seafood, thanks to our expertise in fish farming.
«However, fish farming largely relies on imported feed and thus has little impact on the self-sufficiency calculation. It also makes up a small part of our actual consumption. We must calculate what we actually eat today,» says Lohre.
«Norway is weaker in grain production and horticulture, where self-sufficiency is significantly lower. Grain production is heavily dependent on weather conditions, and food grain volumes vary dramatically from year to year. In 2023, only 56.4 million kilos of wheat suitable for food was produced, compared to 274.1 million kilos the previous year. This greatly affects the overall self-sufficiency rate, as grain is a large part of our diet,» concludes Lohre.
The report shows that Norwegian figures are precise and tailored to our context – but comparisons with other countries require consistent calculation methods.