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Research

Research

A multi-million pound programme of strategic research delivered over five years providing science and evidence to support policymakers and its partners. Informed by strong partnerships and the needs of a broad range of stakeholders. Science at the heart of society contributing to the health, wealth and wellbeing of Scotland and beyond.

Plant and Animal Health

Protecting Plant and Animal Health to underpin our globally competitive economy and ambition to be a Good Food Nation

Sustainable Food Supply System

Leading the way to a Sustainable Food System and Supply contributing to the economy, livelihoods and the health of Scotland

Human Impacts on the Environment

Supporting the large-scale and coordinated transition to net zero and reduction of Human Impacts on the Environment

Natural Resources

Protecting, valuing and optimising the multiple benefits we recieve from our vital Natural Resources

Rural Futures

Committed to empowered, inclusive and resilient Rural Futures for Scotland’s rural and island communities

Ongoing research (2022-2027)

Displaying 1 - 10 of 36
Agriculture climate and carbon

This project provides new approaches for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from agriculture and land use in Scotland, establishes a database of management activities contributing to the mitigation of GHG emissions, investigate new approaches to GHG mitigation, and assess the potential for land management activities to contribute to carbon sequestration. Engagement with stakeholders will explore barriers to uptake of mitigation measures.

  • Agricultural Greenhouse Gases
  • 2022-2027
CentrePeat

This project delivers underpinning and integrated research for: (i) emission factor updates and activity data, (ii) the development of a specific Peatland Monitoring Framework, (iii) improved Natural Capital accounting, further development of the Peatland Code, and (v) improved carbon auditing tools that include climate risk assessments.

  • Soils
  • 2022-2027
Collaboration within Scotland’s food and drink supply chain

Effective business relationships in vertical supply chains are thought to: (a) reduce uncertainty (b) improve access to crucial resources and ⁄or (c) raise business productivity. This project aims to review the status-quo of collaboration and engagement between various stages of Scotland’s food and drink supply chain; to identify those points under acute pressure in the wake of recent shocks and recognising their strengths and weaknesses; and to identify means by which collaboration can be enhanced. 

  • Food & Drink Improvements
  • 2022-2027
Crop Improvement for sustainable production in a changing environment

Changing environmental conditions necessitate adaptations in Scottish agriculture. This project investigates the development of crop species that are resilient to combinations of environmental stresses whilst using resources more efficiently. We test the hypothesis that utilisation of latent diversity in crop species can improve both resource efficiency and stress tolerance. 

  • Crop Improvement
  • 2022-2027
Drivers and barriers for adopting healthy and sustainable food swaps in young adults

This project aims to identify the most effective food swaps, based on an individual’s diet, that makes their shopping basket more healthy and environmentally sustainable; and monitor in real-time whether physiological, psychological and environmental factors, at an individual level, affect the adoption of such food swaps and make individual diets healthier and more environmentally sustainable, in young adults. 

  • Food & Drink Improvements
  • 2022-2027
EU Exit: challenges and opportunities for animal welfare

To maintain and improve animal welfare despite the UK's EU Exit, we will analyse how lower welfare standards from importing countries could impact farm sustainability, provide evidence on welfare issues relating to relevant standards, inform welfare aspects of CAP replacement, and develop welfare assessment methods (informed by emerging international standards). A selection of topical case studies will be produced and guided by policy developments. 

  • Animal Welfare
  • 2022-2027
Exploring barley diversity for resilience and sustainability

We explore the biological consequences and potential practical applications of natural genetic variation found in the primary barley genepool to address future priorities in low carbon cereal agriculture. This is a contemporary barley genetics, genomics and informatics research project focused on scientific discovery and impactful translational biology. 

  • Crop Improvement
  • 2022-2027
Improving livestock productivity and sustainability through management and genetics

This project investigates how age, grazing management, early life events and tolerance to parasites affects livestock productivity and associated environmental impact.

  • Livestock Improvement
  • 2022-2027
Improving the resilience to shocks of Scottish food and drink supply chains

This project is developing tools and a framework to serve as the basis for future reviewing of the resilience of supply chains. These tools are used to understand the vulnerabilities and strengths within the Scottish food and drink supply chain – as a whole and sub-industry specific. The supply chains we are considering are pigs, beef, dairy and potatoes. Finally, within each supply chain, the project is identifying practical applications of the framework to demonstrate the value of investment and novel forms of intervention.

  • Food Supply & Security
  • 2022-2027
Issues related to the demand of fruits and vegetables in Scotland

This project consists of an analysis of the Scottish demand for fruits and vegetables to help produce a detailed set of scenarios and recommendations about the scope and potential value of increasing soft fruit and vegetable production in Scotland. We are addressing topics such as: consumers' willingness to buy products out of season, consumers' interest on alternative to supermarkets retailing models, consumers' provenance preferences, and interest in plant-based products.

  • Food Supply & Security
  • 2022-2027

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