The Finnish Organic Research Insitute’s (FORI) coordination team was strengthened by three researchers at the beginning of the year. Anne Honkanen coordinates organic education and research, Kari Koppelmäki is responsible for establishing international relationships, and Heli Lehtinen supports the activities of the coordination team.
This year, Anne Honkanen, postdoctoral researcher in animal science at the University of Helsinki, will compile an open access online course on organic production and develop organic education at the University of Helsinki.
“I am specialised in laboratory methods for studying the metabolism of fatty acids and the formation of methane in the rumen. I have also participated in the development of a laboratory method to authenticate organic milk. My passion is the development of digital education and a new curriculum at the university. During my free time, I like to study university pedagogy and do orienteering.”
At FORI, Kari Koppelmäki advances research at the level of the food system and establishes international relationships. Currently, he is a doctoral researcher at the Ruralia Institute at the University of Helsinki.
“I am writing my dissertation as a double degree in food and energy production at the Universities of Helsinki and Wageningen. In terms of the food system, I am particularly interested in identifying how the structure of the food system could be changed in the long term to support the goals of organic production and how farmland could be used to produce food, energy and other ecosystem services sustainably.”
“I have also run an organic horticultural farm for more than ten years now. Our farm is located in Hyvinkää as part of the Palopuro Agroecological Symbiosis, in which biogas production is linked to organic farming.”
Heli Lehtinen, planner at FORI, supports the activities of FORI’s coordination team.
“Organic production is part of my work and also my doctoral research conducted at the Ruralia Institute at the University of Helsinki, in which I study the development of organic production from the point of view of regenerative agriculture. I am particularly interested in improving the environmental sustainability of agricultural production and supporting species diversity in agricultural environments. My long-term free-time project deals with converting a lawn area into a diverse bee-friendly garden.”
FORI produces research information on organic production
FORI is the expert network of the University of Helsinki and the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) which, through its activities, supports the strengthening of organic production in the food system. This spring, FORI will host four webinars on current themes in organic research.
More information:
Anne Honkanen, Coordinator, research and teaching, FORI
Tel. +358 294 158 677, anne.z.honkanen@helsinki.fi
Kari Koppelmäki, Coordinator, international cooperation, FORI
Tel. +358 294 121 385, kari.koppelmaki@helsinki.fi
Heli Lehtinen, Planner, FORI
Tel. +358 50 911 3623, heli.lehtinen@helsinki.fi