Turning Waste into Value – Learnings from DC Farming in Northern Sweden
How can waste heat, food waste, and untapped human potential become building blocks for a more sustainable and inclusive food system?
At Arctic Food Arena, we’ve been conducting both physical and digital site visits to explore real-world cases of industrial symbiosis in northern Sweden. One initiative that truly stands out is DC Farming – a pioneering project based in Boden, Norrbotten County.
What is DC Farming?
Born from a long-standing collaboration between Sunderby Folkhögskola, Boden Municipality, and RISE, the project DC Farming builds on previous local efforts in green innovation and social enterprise development. Today, it explores how surplus resources — like waste heat from data centers (hence the name "DC"), food waste from grocery chains, and underutilized human capacity — can be repurposed for sustainable food production and social inclusion.
What’s happening on the ground?
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A 300 m² greenhouse serves as both a production site and innovation lab
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Hydroponic farming delivers fresh leafy greens to local restaurants
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Insect farming (black soldier fly) turns food waste into animal feed – in collaboration with SLU and companies like Vattenfall
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A social cooperative model enables employment for people previously excluded from the labor market
What’s next?
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Testing mushroom cultivation to diversify production
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A replicable model for employment-integrating social enterprises based on resource recovery
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Finding a permanent location, ideally co-located with a data center to maximize heat recovery
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Expanding knowledge sharing with stakeholders interested in circular and socially inclusive food systems
Key insights:
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Systemic change takes time. Integrated solutions don’t happen overnight — patience is crucial.
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People are central. Social dynamics require trust, flexibility, and long-term engagement.
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Flexibility is key. Tackling unexpected issues — from pest management to greenhouse climate control — demands adaptability.
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Partnerships matter. Long-term collaborations with both public and private actors are critical for overcoming regulatory, logistical, and social barriers.
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Collaboration fuels innovation. Strategic partnerships, like the one with SLU, are essential in accelerating the development of new circular systems.
DC Farming shows us that the future of food can be circular, collaborative, and community-driven
Beyond the case: DC Farming is also part of a collaboration with Axfoundation, exploring container-based insect protein as a key element in future circular feed systems. Learn more in the article “The Feed of the Future can be Grown in Containers.”
The DC Farming project is carried out in collaboration with Coompanion Norrbotten, Boden Municipality, and Symbios of Sweden, and is funded by the European Social Fund and Region Norrbotten.
