Finland in aiming to strengthen its self‑sufficiency in food and feed raw materials. A key priority is increasing domestic protein production, which requires a substantial expansion in the cultivation of legume and oilseed crops. However, efforts to increase the cultivation of these crops are constrained by challenges in plant protection. In addition to plant pests already present in Finland, climate change and imported propagation material are increasing the risk of new pests being introduced to these crops.
The main objective of this project is to improve the management of plant health risks that threaten the production of legume and oilseed crops in Finland. To achieve this, the project will conduct a three‑level survey of pests affecting these crops 1) pests already present in Finland, 2) potential new pests that may threat the production in the future, and 3) available control methods and their effectiveness.
The project is carried out in collaboration between the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), the Pyhäjärvi Institute, and the Finnish Food Authority. Additional partners include Bayer Crop Science and Apetit Plc.
The Finnish Food Authority is responsible for the work package focusing on identifying potential new pests that could threaten legume and oilseed crops, as well as assessing their possible entry pathways into Finland. Part of this work is conducted in Nordic cooperation with plant health risk assessors from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM).
Project group
- Mariela Marinova-Todorova (Finnish Food Authority, Risk Assessment Unit)
- Juha Tuomola (Finnish Food Authority, Risk Assessment Unit)
- Marika Rastas (project manager) (Natural Resources Institute Finland)
- Lotta Kaila (Natural Resources Institute Finland)
- Jarmo Ketola (Natural Resources Institute Finland)
- Ellinoora Havaste (Pyhäjärvi Institute)
- Sauli Jaakkola (Pyhäjärvi Institute)
- Johanna Pihala (Pyhäjärvi Institute)
- Laura Reuna (Pyhäjärvi Institute)
- Mikko Kaase (Apetit Plc)
Timetable
2026–2029
Funding
The Development Fund for Agriculture and Forestry (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland), Finnish Food Authority, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Pyhäjärvi Institute, Apetit Plc