Story by Zita Whalley
orway is gearing up for potential global turmoil by reinstating its grain stockpiles, with an eye on the possibility of World War 3. The move has been spurred by recent global events such as the pandemic, climate change concerns, and Russia's recent warnings.
The Norwegian government has inked a deal with four private firms to stash away 30,000 tonnes of grain over the next two years, as per SFGate's report, amid claims WW3 could break out "within months".
Geir Pollestad, Norway's minister for agriculture and food, remarked: "Building up a contingency stock of food grains is about being prepared for the unthinkable".
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Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, the country's finance minister, emphasised the importance of this step reports the Daily Star. He said: "There should be an extra level of security in the event of major disruptions in the international trade systems or failure of national production. This is an important part of the government's work to strengthen national preparedness."
Norway is planning to stockpile around 82,500 tonnes of grain by 2029, enough to feed its 5.6 million citizens for three months in case of a crisis. This move comes amidst increasing fears of World War 3 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In response to the escalating tensions, Norway established a commission to assess its emergency preparedness, leading to the decision to stockpile grain. This follows a pact between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong-un to support each other should one country come under attack.
While the specifics of this assistance remain unclear, Putin described it as an effort to "bid to expand their economic and military cooperation and cement a united front against the US", promising "mutual assistance" in the event of aggression against either party.
