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.
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Research
Ongoing research (2022-2027)
Displaying 11 - 20 of 22
Practical on-farm solutions for welfare and sustainability: solutions to chronic welfare problems
Agricultural practice is plagued by intractable and challenging welfare issues, which are increasingly the focus of consumer attention and legislative restrictions, such as separation of mothers and offspring, use of painful procedures, chronic disease issues and the confinement of animals in limited space or with limited opportunities to express natural behaviour. This work seeks to resolve these chronic issues through adoption of new techniques, novel approaches and implementation of innovative technology.
- Animal Welfare
- 2022-2027
Protected areas to tackle biodiversity loss now, and for the future
This project aims to understand how marine and terrestrial protected areas can best conserve biodiversity under current and future climates.
- Biodiversity
- 2022-2027
Scotland’s biodiversity: people, data and monitoring
This project addresses deficiencies in data and recording infrastructure of Scottish biodiversity enabling improved identification of drivers, hotspots and uniqueness.
- Biodiversity
- 2022-2027
Seeking multiple benefits from natural carbon stores in the uplands
This project explores the relationship between carbon storage, biodiversity conservation and flood mitigation in upland habitats to detect synergies and trade-offs and identifies land management practices that optimise the benefits to be gained. It is generating evidence to inform land-use management practices in the Scottish uplands that contributes to tackling the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and the climate emergency.
- Biodiversity
- 2022-2027
Tools and technologies: development of new populations, genotyping tools and methods for trait dissection to support horticultural crop improvement, sustainability and resilience
Crop production in Scotland faces many threats. Varieties that withstand the many challenges’ growers face are essential. We are using novel plant populations and tools that examine behaviour under complex stresses and plants’ genetic content to develop high quality resilient crops, reduce inputs and allow the Scottish population to locally source more fruit and vegetables.
- Crop Improvement
- 2022-2027
Understanding the mismatch between domestic consumption and production in Scotland
This project is generating a new practical understanding of how current Scottish food production matches or differs compared to consumption patterns of Scottish households. We are using the information about the mismatch between local supply and demand to identify opportunities for increased food security and generating insights between what is produced and what should be consumed based on recommendations. We are also identifying how climate change may affect the local food supply and discuss how to deliver increased resilience.
- Food Supply & Security
- 2022-2027
Understanding the Scottish food supply chain
We are consolidating data to map production, imports and exports of fresh and processed foods for major Scottish agri-food supply chains, and map these against purchasing and intake data, as well as dietary recommendations. We also model the impacts and requirements of a transition to more healthy and sustainable scenarios of production and consumption in Scotland.
- Food & Drink Improvements
- 2022-2027
Biodiversity and ecosystem functions
There remain large gaps in understanding how changes in management and the environment alter community composition and, hence, ecosystem functions. This Research Deliverable (RD) addresses how ecosystem functions are regulated by the traits of species present, and how potential limits for the maintenance of ecosystem function can be captured in ecosystem health metrics.
- Biodiversity
- 2016-2022
Biodiversity management
Biodiversity management To deliver research that helps Scotland meet biodiversity goals as set by the Aichi Targets, the EU Biodiversity Strategy and, specifically, the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy. It will do this by considering the effectiveness of alternative biodiversity/land management measures and potential options for safeguarding against biodiversity loss. These measures and options can then be integrated into future policy development.
- Biodiversity
- 2016-2022
How rural economies can adapt to key external drivers
The aim of this RD is to improve understanding of recent and anticipated adaptive responses to environmental change, policy drivers and market shifts. This will identify processes of innovation, diversification and collaborative action in agricultural household adjustment and assess future influences on the adaptive capacity of segments of the agriculture sector.
- Improving Agricultural Practice
- Land Use
- 2016-2022