UNICEF Norway has just received the donation of a large farm, including some of the best farmland in Vikhammer, Malvik municipality in Norway.

Instead of preserving fertile land for growing grains and vegetables in a country with a marginal production area, UNICEF Norway has decided to sell the property to the highest bidder and give developers the right to build a complex of apartments and buildings on prime farmland.

Only three percent of Norway is arable land and just one third of that is suited to grow crops for human consumption.

The Norwegian Soil Protection Alliance in Trøndelag and related agricultural organisations have protested against building on this farmland, along with the two biggest nature conservation organisations in Norway.

The property lies in the coastal zone bordering the Trondheim fjord where the soil is enriched by ancient marine mineral deposits and the climate is ideal for growing crops impossible to grow at similar latitudes this far north.

Development will destroy much of the ecological and cultural landscape and corresponding habitats of endangered animal, plant and bird species so far ignored in impact assessments.

In this unprecedented time of war and climate crises it is unacceptable to destroy irreplaceable farmland, especially in vulnerable areas.

UNICEF Norway is associated with the United Nations and thereby acts against its own climate and sustainability goals which condemn the destruction of farmland when it condones the development of the Vikhammer farm.

I hereby protest against UNICEF Norway’s decision to sell and destroy this unique farmland and site of the largest colony of jackdaws this far north in the world for building purposes.

INITIATORS

Tora Aasland, former parliamentary representative and State Administrator in Rogaland

Anders Nordstad, until recently Secretary General of the Norwegian Farmers 'and Smallholders' Association

Magne Vågsland, The Nature Conservation Association in Trøndelag

Stephen Barstow, KVANN (Norwegian Seed Savers) working for food security in Norway

Rigmor Bjerche, leader of the Soil Conservation Alliance in Trøndelag county and a member of the Centre Party

Hedwig Thiery Aresvik, central board member of Nature and Youth and deputy member of the board of the Soil Conservation Alliance in Norway

Siv-Elin Krutvik, former project manager for the national Reko project, Norwegian Farmers 'and Smallholders' Association

Bothild Åslaugsdotter Nordsletten, editor of the trade magazine Bondevennen

Lars Haltbrekken, parliamentary representative for the Socialist Left Party (SV)

Ingrid Fiskaa, parliamentary representative for the Socialist Left Party (SV)

Rakel Skårslette Trondal, group leader for the Socialist Left Party (SV) in the county council in Trøndelag and municipal council representative in Malvik

Tommy Reinås, group leader for The Norwegian Green Party in the county council in Trøndelag

Hallgeir Opdal, county council representative, Red Party, Trøndelag

Per Olav Bjørgum, municipal council representative for The Norwegian Green Party in Malvik

Jens Morten Nilsen, leader of the Red Party in Malvik

Leif Strøm, lawyer, Trondheim

Bjørg J. Eigard, artist, Hommelvik