Thomas Norrby

Thomas Norrby is highly involved in finding pathways to the sustainable development of the local community. He has been active on issues concerning local economy and local change since he was a student. Thomas works at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences as senior extensionist and teacher in rural development. He sees his role as a broker between practitioners and researchers, between real problems and knowledge, and also as a bridge between disciplines.

He is an active member of the steering committee of the Swedish National Rural Development Network, and initiated the networks working group on local capital trying to establish new financial instrument within the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). He has also been active in the network behind the Local Economy Day-concept, now with both national and regional workshops annually. He is the chairman of the local cooperative development association (Coompanion) engaged in trying to set up a regional Microfund for credit guarantees.