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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 31
Achieving multi-purpose nature-based solutions

This project is assessing and enhancing water-related ecosystem services of Nature-Based Solutions in catchments. We explore how NBS can work across multiple sectors and scales to achieve transformative change.

  • Water
  • 2022-2027
Climate change impacts on natural capital

This project aims to develop a Risk and Opportunities Assessement Framewowork to asses Natural Capital assets and impacts of climate change, by integrating multiple (qantitative and qualitative) data, to identify risk asset types and consequences on capacity for Nature-based Solutions.

  • Natural Capital
  • 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
Development and implementation of tools, strategies, and stakeholder engagement to understand threats and improve disease management in practice

The project is mitigating threats posed to key crops by new, emerging and endemic pests and pathogens, to protect Scotland’s industries and delivering integrated and sustainable crop protection strategies for Scottish growers.

  • Plant Disease
  • 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
Extending food production to Scotland’s underutilised lands
Edible plants growing in the wild

This project evaluates the potential of Scotland’s underutilised lands to contribute towards a sustainable food system and provide economic motivation to protect our natural capital. The focus is on wild species that can contribute towards sustainable food production, while meeting environment and biodiversity targets. Engagement with a wide range of stakeholders provides a RoadMap that will meet cross-sector needs.

  • Crop Improvement
  • 2022-2027
Galvanising change via natural capital

The aim of this project is to produce constructive insights about the most productive venues (territorially and sectorally) and approaches (how and with and for whom) for using natural capital concepts and data to galvanise change for sustainability.

  • Natural Capital
  • 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
Mapping major supply chains within the Scottish food and drink industry

This project maps major food supply chains both within Scotland and those where Scottish industries are heavily involved to improve our understanding of how hey operate. To achieve this aim, we propose a methodology to be able to update changes in the maps, a modelled analysis of individual sectors that demonstrates where value is created, added, and lost during the supply chain, and to use the modelled analysis to simulate various scenarios whereby the value in the supply chain could be increased and distributed in Scotland among producers and processors. 

  • Food & Drink Improvements
  • 2022-2027

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