New Report: Security of Supply in Small Municipalities in Northern Ostrobothnia Require Collaboration, Competence Development and Business Involvement

A new report published by the Kerttu Saalasti Institute of the University of Oulu maps crisis preparedness and security of supply in small municipalities in Northern Ostrobothnia. The study is based on interviews with representatives of ten municipalities in the region and identifies key areas of security of supply, including energy, water and food supply, as well as transport.
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According to the study, security of supply is seen in municipalities as a cross-cutting responsibility in which different sectors recognise the risks and threats within their own fields and draw up preparedness plans accordingly. The role of microenterprises in developing security of supply is acknowledged, but concrete models for engaging them are still needed.

The report highlights several key areas for development, including internal cooperation and information sharing within the municipality, competence building, training and exercises, as well as sufficient resourcing. In small municipalities, limited resources emphasize the need for collaboration and clear division of responsibilities, and the involvement of companies and associations is considered essential.

This report has been produced as part of the NOHEVA – Low-carbon crisis resilience through wood construction and tourism project, funded by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Northern Ostrobothnia (ELY Centre) through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The main coordinator of the project is MicroENTRE®, the Micro-Entrepreneurship Centre at the University of Oulu’s Kerttu Saalasti Institute. Project partners include Nivala Industrial Park Ltd, the City of Nivala, the Jokilaaksot Educational Federation of Municipalities JEDU, as well as companies in the region. The Kerttu Saalasti Foundation acts as a partial funder of the project.

Read the piblication (in Finnish):

Martti Saarela, Ulla Lehtinen ja Laura Veikkola: Pienten kuntien kriisi- ja huoltovarmuus Pohjois-Pohjanmaalla. NOHEVA – Puurakentamisesta ja matkailusta rakentuvaa vähähiilistä kriisivalmiutta -hankkeen raportti. Oulun yliopiston Kerttu Saalasti Instituutin julkaisuja 3/2025.

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Created 6.11.2025 | Updated 6.11.2025