9 Mar 2021

Improving Virus Testing Capability for the Soft Fruit Industry in Scotland

The production of soft fruit is an important commercial activity in Scotland, generating more than £115 million in income for growers in 2018. This industry is underpinned by the national (UK) collection of high health raspberry and blackcurrant varieties. These collections are propagated in biosecure glasshouses and are tested annually to guarantee that they are free from infection by particular pests and pathogens.

15 Feb 2021

Food habits in the time of COVID-19 – experiences and adaptation

Since March 2020, attempts to control the spread of COVID-19 have led to substantial and far-reaching changes to everyday life, with social restrictions of varying severity imposed, relaxed, and reimposed over the intervening 12 months. With habitual dietary intake largely dependent on environmental cues, significant changes in our typical lifestyles and everyday surroundings might be expected to have consequences for our diets and food habits.

28 Jan 2021

SEFARI Gateway Update - January 2021

The past year has been, and 2021 will undoubtedly remain, challenging for us all. At Gateway we are focussing our efforts on continuing to support the COVID-19 recovery response while maintaining momentum for knowledge exchange partnership working across environment, land, agriculture, food and rural community priorities.

10 Dec 2020

Extending reality: Helping farmers experience in-field events virtually

Currently, we are all experiencing unique working conditions, leading us to adapt to new ways of engaging and learning.  

In this blog Dr Claire Hardy, who was awarded SEFARI Gateway Responsive Opportunity Funds, explores the use of virtual technology to engage farmers and the agricultural community, helping farmers to experience in-field events safely, flexibly, and remotely.

20 Nov 2020

Beating the Winter Blues

Winter is here and this might conjure thoughts of cosy nights by a fire, mulled wine, and the holiday season. However, it also brings colder days and longer nights and for some Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

In this guest blog, Eilidh McNaughton outlines what SAD is, the causes, and provides some tips on how we can all look after our wellbeing this winter.

29 Oct 2020

Anthelmintic resistance – can we stay ahead of the game?

Sustainability and food security are two terms that are commonly used in relation to the UK agricultural sector.  In a changing climate, there is a need to reduce the impact of endemic diseases on livestock health, welfare and productivity.

6 Oct 2020

Is breakfast really an important meal of the day?

Despite strong public health advice on the importance of breakfast as part of a dietary approach for a healthy weight, very little is known about the importance of what to eat in the morning period.

We hope this blog will give you food for thought when you are next eating your breakfast!

15 Sep 2020

The science behind COVID-19 testing: A resource for Higher Biology

The importance of on-line educational resources that connect scientists with young learners has been brought into sharp focus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this blog, Dr Eleanor Watson describes a new curriculum-linked resource, which details the technology that is used to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus and diagnose COVID-19.

28 Aug 2020

Informing & influencing public opinion towards supporting UK livestock farmers

In this blog, we discuss a new project that is seeking to support and inform farmers (through both research and communications) on how to best promote fair, balanced, and more impactful, positive stories about the livestock industry. 

18 Aug 2020

One Health in Action: Setting up a new testing node for COVID-19 with the NHS

Across SEFARI we are using our capability and continuing to make our expertise available to assist with national and regional strategies dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our collective efforts have included loaning equipment, staff volunteering and adapting our research to help with understanding the impacts of the crisis.

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