SEFARI – Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutions

SEFARI aims to deliver 'Leading Ideas for Better Lives', reflecting that publicly funded research in Scotland must ultimately deliver positive impact for individuals, whether in Scotland or elsewhere.

As a collective, we collaborate to deliver the Scottish Government funded Strategic Research Portfolio 2022-2027 on agriculture, environment, food, land and rural communities.

Case Studies

Assessing Scotland’s self-sufficiency of major food commodities

Achieving food security has gained prominence in the present policy agenda to increase resilience to adverse events.

  • Food & Drink Innovation
  • Agriculture
  • Healthier Foods
  • Rural Economy

Developing Dialogues on Land Use Decision Making for Natural Capital

Spurred in part by Scottish government policies such as the commitment to reach Net Zero by 2045, there has been an increase in investment in land for natural capital purposes in Scotland.

  • SEFARI Gateway
  • Land and Communities
  • Climate and the Environment

Exploiting plant pathogen biology for future disease control

Agriculture faces many challenges, including a warming climate, more frequent occurrence of extreme climate events and increased incidence and severity of crop diseases.

  • Agriculture
  • Plant and Animal Health
  • Rural Economy

Foodborne toxoplasmosis: a study of retail meat

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that impacts human and animal health worldwide.

  • Healthier Foods
  • Agriculture
  • Plant and Animal Health

Blog

15 Oct 2024

The Invisible Pillars of Community: Rural women in Agriculture

To mark this year’s International Day of Rural Women, our colleague Ana Vuin from Rural Policy Centre at SRUC, offers her insight on the role of women in agriculture and rural communities, challenges of representation, health and wellbeing, as well as opportunities to foster inclusive and fair rural society.

14 Oct 2024

Climate Change Adaptation: 2nd Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) Science, Evidence and Policy Conference

Climate Change Adaptation is one of the key items on the policy agenda in Scotland, and this was the main focus at this year’s ENRA Science, Evidence and Policy conference.

News

24 Oct 2024

Ecosystem and Land use Policy Engagement Group (ELPEG)

We are delighted to share with you the latest copy of the ELPEG Bulletin. The bulletins are produced every six months and summarise the biodiversity research that is happening within the Strategic Research Programme. The bulletins aim to provide a policy relevant summary of the research. 

8 Oct 2024

Funding Call: SEFARI Fellowship to Map the Evidence Base on the Costs of Action and Inaction for Land Use in a Changing Climate

SEFARI Gateway is delighted to provide support for a new Fellowship in collaboration with NatureScot. We are seeking an individual researcher or small team of researchers to undertake a first stage mapping of the evidence base for land use change in a changing climate.  

26 Sep 2024

Funding Call: SEFARI Fellowship on scoping a route to a locally driven approach to agriculture research in Orkney

SEFARI Gateway is delighted to be able to offer a Fellowship in collaboration with Highland and Islands Enterprise, UHI Orkney.

29 Aug 2024

SEDA Game Project unveiled at Abertay University, supported by SEFARI Gateway

A video game designed to explain the impact that human activities have on soil health and land use in Scotland was unveiled at Abertay University.

24 Jul 2024

AMAST Network launches to battle AMR in the agrifood system

A new network is setting sail to understand and tackle how antimicrobial resistance impacts UK food production from farm to fork.

Events

26 Nov 2024

Science and the Parliament 2024

Science and the Parliament is organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry, on behalf of, and in cooperation with, the Scottish science and engineering community. The event is designed to foster close relations with policymakers and key stakeholders.

23 Sep 2024

RESAS Science, Evidence and Policy Conference

Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services (RESAS), Scottish Government (SG) is pleased to be hosting a one-day in-person conference that will bring together stakeholders from across the rural and environmental research and policy landscape in Scotland.

18 Sep 2024

A3 Scotland 2024

This not-for-profit conference for the Aquaculture, Agritech and Animal Health (AAA) sectors, brings together industry, investors, scientists and government officials from all over the world.

 

10 Sep 2024

45th TB Macaulay Lecture

Presented in partnership with the Macaulay Development Trust and The James Hutton Institute; the event aims to connect scientific evidence with civic society around critical issues affecting land and people.

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