Leader Liiveri and Leader Suupohja organized a study trip in Seinäjoki, Ilmajoki and Kurikka on 13-14 April 2026 for Nordic Preparedness project partners from Finland and Sweden. The aim of the Leader cooperation project is to increase knowledge and awareness of the crisis resilience of citizens and communities and to share best practices between rural areas. The themes of the study trip were the preparedness of villages and farms.
An important outcome of the study tour was the networking and professional peer learning between participants, municipalities, volunteers and rescue authorities. The participants found the concrete, practical examples of preparedness and entrepreneurship included in the program particularly useful and inspiring. The committed and passionate farmers, entrepreneurs and rescue and volunteer organizations were praised.
National preparedness requires cooperation between organizations
Seinäjoki Airport's WestAvia is a platform for aviation, growth and experimentation. The area is engaged in a variety of development work, which is also important in preparing for disruptions. For example, FinnHEMS is a state-owned special mission company that is responsible for and produces medical helicopter services nationwide together with welfare areas.
The visit to Juustoportti opened up an understanding of the company's importance in maintaining food security in the region. A milk processor must take into account the entire production process in its preparations in every situation.
– Cows never stop milking, so milk reception and further processing must work in all situations, said the production manager. Marko Viitala in his presentation.
The preparation of farms was a wish of visitors
One sector of farm preparedness is increasing energy self-sufficiency. The topic was discussed Matti Marttilan guided tour of the biogas plant at Alamarttila farm in Jalasjärvi.
– Preparedness costs money — that's the harsh truth. But the alternative is often worse. A state without preparation takes greater risks and can lose much more in a crisis situation, Marttila said.
In connection with the farm's biogas production, we also heard about the development of the biogas ecosystem in the city of Kurikka.
Preparing municipalities and villages nearby
The theme of the second day of the Nordic Preparedness visit was the role of municipalities and villages in everyday safety and crisis preparedness. Village development expert Tuija Takamaki told how the Leader groups in Southern Ostrobothnia have developed preparedness and security in the region over the past decade.
The city organization's preparedness solutions and preparedness cooperation network were presented in Kurikka by the mayor Anna-Kaisa Pusa and administrative director Petri LammassaariA concrete example of preparedness appearing as part of the everyday environment was the Kurikka campus's civil defense shelter, which functions as a student gym during normal circumstances.
Fire Chief of the South Ostrobothnia Rescue Department Juha Turkulainen presented the operational diagram of the cooperation network between authorities and communities in disruptions and exceptional situations. A similar network is not in use elsewhere in Finland. Voluntary Rescue Service (Vapepa) Aana Vainio highlighted the key role of volunteers in local preparedness.
Village-level preparedness in Luova
Village-level preparedness includes village security teams and village hall preparedness solutions in case of disturbances. Preparedness involves planning, equipment, training and implementation, which was demonstrated at the Luova Youth Club, which serves as the village's preparedness center. At the village hall, participants were able to practice first aid skills such as CPR and the use of a defibrillator. The equipment included the contents of a searcher's backpack, the equipment level of the Finnish Red Cross's emergency cart, and the village radio equipment.