GRÓ LRT Fellows Visit to Hvanneyri

Earlier this week, the GRÓ LRT fellows set off for the annual visit to the main campus of the Agricultural University of Iceland at Hvanneyri. The visit included an afternoon coffee hosted by the International Office at AUI, which has become a tradition. The fellows spent the day getting familiar with the university campus, taking a short tour in the main building Ásgarður, and visiting the Agricultural Museum where Ragnhildur Helga Jónsdóttir introduced them to Iceland’s farming history. They also got the chance to explore an exhibition in the museum’s basement of the history of salmon fishing in West Iceland. The exhibition attracted a lot of attention from the fellows, not least how the salmon was stored in small turf huts with big ice cubes from the river.

At the Agronomy Centre, Jónína Svavarsdóttir shared insights into AUI’s current crop research and the challenges the climate and environment in Iceland give Icelandic farmers. The fellows shared their experience with challenges in their home country and we had lively discussions.

Before heading for the afternoon coffee and cakes, the group went to the University dairy farm. Visiting the cows is always a success, especially seeing the automatic milking robot. Jóhannes Kristjánsson and Björn Ingi Ólafsson welcomed the group, briefly explained the technology behind the milking robot, and day-to-day tasks of running the dairy farm and.

The visit concluded at the AUI International Office with coffee and cakes. Fellows met with the staff and other international students and enjoyed a welcoming and informal atmosphere.

It was a well-rounded day combining learning and socializing, and the fellows went back home to GRÓ House happy, but tired.