The BERTEBOS prize

The Foundation has instituted two different BERTEBOS Prizes. In 1996 the Prize awarded by the ROYAL ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY, Kungliga Skogs- och Lantbruksakademien (KSLA), was founded and in 2007 an other Prize was instituted, awarded by the Halland Academy.

The BERTEBOS Prize in co-operation with the KSLA

The BERTEBOS prize was instituted in 1996. It is distributed by the ROYAL ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY for highly qualified, pioneering development methods referring to food, agriculture, animal health or ecology. The prize is distributed every second year.

The ROYAL ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY has been asked to appoint the prize-winner and the prize is handed over at a ceremony on the 28th January every year, on the name-day of the King, Karl. The prize amounts to 400,000 SEK and the persons handing over the prize have been, so far, King Carl XVI Gustav, Crown Princess Viktoria, Princess Lilian and Princess Christina.

Prize winner 2024

Jointly to Professor Ingrid Undeland and Associate Professor Mehdi Abdollahi, Mölndal, and the Department of Food Science, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, for their contribution to an even more sustainable use of fish and shellfish with less wastage.

A global population of 10 billion in 2050 will require approximately 70 percent more food than today. The increase can be realized through more efficient use of available raw materials and reduced wastage along the food chain. This applies not least to the ”blue food”, fish and shellfish, where waste today can amount to 70 percent. Ingrid Undeland and Mehdi Abdollahi have developed and commercialized the “pH-shift technology” to produce gel-forming proteins, cold-pressed Omega 3-rich oil and collagen/collagen peptides from by-products for today’s fish and shellfish processing. They have been able to maximize the yield of proteins and oil produced while maintaining nutritional quality. Through their efforts, Ingrid Undeland and Mehdi Abdollahi have contributed to the fact that the seafood industry now sees “by-products” as a valuable raw material with great potential for food production. They have thus contributed in a very valuable and innovative way to the development of a sustainable, safe and resilient food system.

The BERTEBOS Prize in co-operation with the Halland Academy

The BERTEBOS Prizes  in co-operation with the Halland Academy were instituted in 2007. They are distributed by the Halland Academy to persons, associations or institutions found to have a potential for performing commendable contributions to the future of the food sector in Halland. From 2015, the Halland Academy shares a prize of SEK 50 000 against the previous two prizes of SEK 25 000 each. The award ceremony takes place in connection with with the Halland Academy's celebration ceremony.

Prize winner 2022

Lars Paulsson, Kvarngården i Hässlås, Långås
The academy wants to recognize the farmer Lars Paulsson, who has worked for many years to make his farm fossil-free. They have been producing their own electricity from cow manure in a biogas facility since 2012.

The biogas that is not used for electricity is upgraded into biofuel and sold at a dedicated station on his farm. Therefore, the farm has its own electricity supply, liquid manure for direct spreading, and hygienized bedding material for the animals.

As a result, the climate is the big winner, as biogas reduces greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to an environmental improvement of approximately 180% in reduced carbon dioxide emissions. The initiator, as he himself describes, is a simple farm boy who has gradually learned, with tremendous energy, determination, and knowledge, and has created the best of both worlds.

This is a testament to how we all have much to learn and can find the obvious in life while living in harmony with nature.