Digitisation of Reindeer Husbandry

A study financed by the Finnish RDP aimed to find new digital solutions for making reindeer husbandry a more efficient and profitable business.

Project summary: 

Reindeer husbandry is the traditional source of living in Lapland, northern Finland. The project aimed to develop new digital methods for making the business more efficient and profitable. The project activities consisted of literature reviews, research interviews, field studies and participatory observation.

Project results: 

PS-marked reindeer herds can be easily found even in a large territory. A major bottleneck, however, is the low coverage of the existing mobile phone networks, while the use of satellite data is considered expensive. So the study’s recommendation was to build a new data transfer network based on radio waves.

The study suggested further development of smart clothing for herders that could contain more sensors, reacting to temperature, light, speed, quick stops, etc.

Digital accounting and reporting systems should also be developed, along mobile reporting on predator damages and the submitting  of subsidy applications.

Development of the usability and accessibility of the reindeer herding’s GPS data from the herder’s level through all the steps of other stakeholders, including authorities, was recommended.

The training institutions in Lapland should continue to focus on providing training, information and good practices, especially on the use of GPS data.