Hemp – A Nutritious Crop That Stores Carbon

Nutritious, carbon-sequestering, and fast-growing – hemp is a crop with many advantages and the potential to be part of the solution for a more sustainable agricultural system. At Torsåker Farm, a small-scale cultivation and processing trial of EU-certified industrial hemp has been carried out. In parallel, both hemp seed and fiber have been evaluated to identify suitable applications. The ambition has been to answer the question: Can industrial hemp become a future crop within the agricultural industry, and can infrastructure be developed in Sweden to refine and process hemp fiber and hemp seed for both food and material applications?

Hemp is often associated with the production of illegal substances. Today, it is legal to grow industrial hemp in Sweden with a THC content lower than 0.3%.

The Issue

Agriculture accounts for a significant share of global greenhouse gas emissions and has a major environmental impact, both through farming methods and crop choices. Plant breeding has historically primarily focused on high yields, whereas less attention has been paid to characteristics making the plant resistant to pests such as weeds and fungal diseases. Instead, pesticides are often used to deal with these lacking traits, with negative consequences for biodiversity and the environment at large. Most crops also have shallow root systems with limited capacity to store carbon and absorb nutrients – traits that are becoming increasingly important in the context of the climate crisis.

There is also a need for more domestically grown nutrient-dense foods in Sweden. Today, most nuts and seeds consumed are imported, despite the fact that several varieties could be cultivated locally with lower climate impact and water use.

Industrial hemp has the potential to be part of the solution to these challenges. While there are actors refining hemp today, the lack of large-scale infrastructure and geographic spread limits the ability to handle harvests for both seed and fiber.

Did You Know That Hulled Hemp Seeds…

Have a mild, nutty flavor similar to almonds
Are nutrient-dense and a source of dietary fiber and plant-based protein that is easily absorbed by the body
Have a fat composition largely made up of unsaturated fatty acids, with a high proportion of polyunsaturated fats
Are rich in iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins, including thiamine (vitamin B1)
Have an amino acid profile comparable to soybeans and egg whites, making hemp suitable as a replacement ingredient in composite foods
Are gluten-free and contain no other allergens

Our Solution

Hemp cultivation can help address several of the sustainability challenges facing agriculture. It can play an important role in crop rotation and help break disease cycles in cereal production. Hemp generally does not require pesticides, as the plant has low susceptibility to pests and is fast-growing with dense foliage making it difficult for nearby weeds to grow and thrive.

In addition, hemp’s deep taproot enables efficient nutrient uptake and makes the crop tolerant to drought and water stress. Hemp sequesters 9–15 times more carbon dioxide than cereals and produces large amounts of pollen, benefiting bees and overall biodiversity. Hemp has potential as a food ingredient and is also of interest as a material for the construction and textile sectors.

The aim of the project is to use hemp as a raw material in everything from food products to components in materials.

Our Work

At Torsåker Farm, Axfoundation’s center for future food and materials, a small-scale cultivation trial of EU-certified industrial hemp has been conducted. The hemp cultivation area was part of the field sampled within the project Intensive Sampling Site, in collaboration with the organization for Swedish carbon sequestration (Svensk Kolinlagring), and was established in a field representing maximum carbon storage.

The harvested hemp seeds were pressed, and the resulting hemp seed cake was analyzed within the Vinnova-funded project Sustainable Hemp Innovations. The project aimed to extract, purify, and characterize proteins using cost-efficient extraction methods.

In the test kitchens at Torsåker Farm, Axfoundation’s chefs and sensory experts, together with several partners, explored potential food applications for hemp seed and hemp seed cake and how these raw materials could be upgraded and utilized. The goal has been to develop innovative, sustainable, flavorful, and healthy food products.

The hemp-seed semla shows that Swedish hemp works all the way from raw material to consumer. We want more people to discover the crop and hemp seed – it benefits both the environment and the Swedish food system.

– Maria Lundesjö, Project Manager within Future Food at Axfoundation

Tests showed that hemp seed works well in a wide range of applications, from bread and muesli to toppings and baked goods. To demonstrate how the new Swedish raw material can be used in practice, a hemp-seed semla was launched in 2026 in collaboration with Urban Deli in Stockholm. By replacing imported almonds in the almond paste with Swedish hemp seed, the semla illustrates the commercial and cultivation potential of hemp in Sweden. Hemp seed has a mild, rounded, nutty flavor similar to almonds and contributes a rich, creamy texture, allowing substitution without compromising taste or texture.

Hemp’s potential as a material component has also been explored. Stems from hemp grown at Torsåker Farm have been used in tests at the Swedish School of Textiles in Borås to evaluate the conditions for using the crop’s fiber.

Axfoundation’s aim with the hemp project has been to promote the development of more crops that allow farmers to diversify and achieve favorable crop rotation, reduce pesticide use, and increase biodiversity.

6 Benefits of the Hemp Crop

Carbon sequestration: One hectare of hemp stores 10-15 tons of carbon dioxide per year, or about the same amount as a young forest. This can be compared with cereals, which store about 1 ton of carbon dioxide per hectare per year.
Increased biodiversity: Hemp plants produce large amounts of pollen, which greatly benefits bees. The flowering period occurs at a time when other crops have low pollen production, making the plant a valuable addition in the crop rotation. The plant also provides shelter for birds as well as food for various animals in the form of hemp seed spills.
No use of pesticides: Hemp has low susceptibility to pests as it has no natural enemies. Hemp plants grow fast, and they can block the sunlight with their dense foliage, making it difficult for weeds to grow near them. This means that in most cases the farmer does not need to use insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. However, fertilization is required for optimal growth.
Breaks pest life cycles: Hemp used as an alternative crop can help break pest life cycles such as fungal diseases.
Prevents soil erosion: The dense foliage of the hemp plant forms a natural ground cover that reduces water loss and protects against soil erosion. Hemp provides ground cover only three weeks after sprouting.
Drought and water-stress tolerance: The taproot of the hemp plant improves nutrient uptake from the soil and makes the crop resistant to both water scarcity and flooding.

Challenges with Hemp Cultivation

Confusions and attitudes: The hemp plant has long been linked to the production of marijuana and illegal substances. Between 1970 and 2003 there was a ban on growing hemp in Sweden. Today it is legal to grow industrial hemp with a THC content lower than 0.3%.
Permit regulations: The cultivation of hemp is currently only permitted if the type of plant is listed by the Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket), is approved in the EU’s registered variety list, and has been approved in a submitted permit application.
Lack of infrastructure: Infrastructure and cultivation volumes need to scale up. In 2025, hemp was grown on approximately 1,740 hectares in Sweden, compared with 472,600 hectares of winter wheat.

Partners

The hemp seeds harvested from the test cultivation at Torsåker Farm have been included in the project Sustainable Hemp Innovations financed by Vinnova. Partners in the project Axfoundation, Edgy Veggie, Lund University, Mäteria Technologies, Solina Sweden, and Svensk Hampaindustri. Project manager: Mäteria Technologies. Project leader: Clara Norell at Svensk Hampaindustri.

The hemp stems from the test cultivation and will be used within the Vinnova financed project Bio-based residual streams with potential in the technical textile industry at University of Borås. Project leader: Nawar Kadi. Project partners: Science Park Borås, OrganoClick, Svensk hampaindustri,House of Hemp, Ekolution, Borgstena, Svenska naturtak, and Sporda.

Challenges and Learnings at Torsåker Farm

The initial trials of seed hemp at Torsåker Farm resulted in limited yields due to early-summer drought and technical challenges during sowing. However, several other hemp cultivations across Sweden have delivered very good results.

Despite the challenges, the tenant farmer at Torsåker Farm continued growing hemp. Fiber hemp was cultivated on compacted soil, and the following year’s wheat crop thrived, demonstrating hemp’s positive effects as a preceding crop.

We believe in hemp as a crop in Swedish agriculture. With the right infrastructure and experience, hemp can become a successful raw material for both food and materials, while also playing an important role in crop rotation.

What Did We Learn?

Infrastructure for hemp cultivation in Sweden still needs development and geographic expansion.
More knowledge is required on refining and processing hemp fiber and seed from different varieties.
Clear communication is needed to counter misconceptions; Axfoundation installed informational signage around hemp fields.
In central and northern Sweden, the shorter growing season poses challenges for seed hemp, making variety selection crucial.
Regardless of conditions, hemp has proven to be an excellent preceding crop for wheat.