Do you know what verddevuohta means? 

Sámi agriculture has deep roots in coastal Sámi areas, from Trøndelag county in the south to Finnmark county in the north of Norway. 

Here, livestock farming and crop cultivation have been part of Sámi life since the 1300s.

“A combination of different forms of livelihood, such as fishing and gathering, has been characteristic of Sámi agriculture. People adapted to the local natural conditions and the challenging climate,” says Hilde Halland, a researcher at NIBIO.

But today, few of these mixed farms remain.

From the 1950s onwards, it became more difficult to operate the small, traditional mixed farms. Agricultural policies emphasised mechanisation, efficiency, and centralisation.

Researching the importance of agriculture

There has been little research on the role agriculture has played for the Sámi language, culture, and viable local communities. 

Now the researchers Hilde Halland, Frøydis Gillund, and Maiken Skjørestad Granberg at NIBIO have reviewed existing studies on Sámi perspectives on agriculture in Northern Norway.

They have also interviewed both researchers and farmers of Sámi background.

“The goal has been to understand how Sámi culture is expressed in agriculture and what it might mean to include Sámi perspectives in the research,” says Halland.

Difficult to translate

To understand the significance of agriculture, we must look at the Sámi terms used in farming. These words encompass more than just concrete descriptions. 

They convey relationships, harvesting from nature, and the landscape. 

And they carry both physical and spiritual meanings. This can make it difficult to translate Sámi concepts.

For example, the concept verddevuohta.

It concerns a culture of sharing, cooperation, solidarity, and kinship. It also concerns friendships intended to strengthen community, help one another, and share resources.

“These values have been fundamental in Sámi society. But they are under threat in modern agriculture, where farming can be a lonely occupation,” says researcher Frøydis Gillund.

Sámi cultural heritage is passed down through Sámi words and expressions that describe daily farming, traditional crafts, and interactions with nature.

Gillund explains that Sámi culture is expressed not only through language, but also through traditional farming methods, exchange relationships, traditional cooking, and crafts. 

"In addition, traditional harvesting, such as fishing, cloudberry picking, and other gathering, are important expressions of Sámi cultural heritage,” she says.

Why Sámi agriculture matters

“The researchers we spoke with emphasised understanding Sámi agriculture as part of a holistic way of life, where nature, culture, and community are interconnected,” says researcher Maiken Skjørestad Granberg.

Sámi agriculture should therefore not be understood in isolation. It emphasises the local community and the collective it is part of.

“Sámi agriculture must be seen as more than just a livelihood. It's a way of life and a carrier of culture that provides a foundation for preserving traditions, identity, and language. In addition to supporting settlement and development of local communities,” she says.

Reference:

Gillund et al. Nordnorsk jordbruk og lokalsamfunn – å forske fra et samisk ståsted (Northern Norwegian agriculture and local communities – conducting research from a Sámi perspective), Popular science article, NIBIO POP, 2026. DOI: 10.21350/k683-sh24

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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no

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