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Rural Economy

Rural Economy

Scotland’s rural economy is varied and vibrant, but in many places it is also fragile. SEFARI research plays a key role in better understanding our rural communities, and the economy which underpins them. Our research examines the main drivers for change facing Scotland’s rural economy, and identifies ways in which land-based and other rural industries and government policy, can adapt to these challenges.  While the focus is primarily on agriculture, research also covers other prominent sectors in the rural economy, such as forestry and tourism.

Case Studies

24 Oct 2024

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. Using a novel method, we estimated the food balance sheets of Scotland, and assessed the self-sufficiency of major food commodities for the first time.

23 Aug 2024

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.

5 Mar 2024

Biosecurity, sustainable livestock parasite control and messaging

Roundworms and sheep scab mites are common throughout the UK and threaten the health, welfare and productivity of grazing livestock.

28 Feb 2024

Making silk purses out of sows’ ears – challenges facing a Scottish pig farmer

Scotland’s pork sector is under financial pressure. One way to address this could be to increase the value added to Scottish pork. This case study, which focusses on a Scottish pork producer, provides insights into an enterprise serving the high value pork products market and the challenges it faces.

12 Dec 2022

The Tarland Catchment: Monitoring landscape interventions to improve water quality, benefit riparian habitat and mitigate flooding

The Tarland Burn Catchment (~70 km2) has been studied since the year 2000 making it one of the longest running comprehensive catchment management case studies in the UK.

27 Oct 2022

Working together to improve our understanding of inclusive growth in the Highlands and Islands

In 2020, researchers and practitioners collaborated to better understand how inclusive growth can be conceptualised and measured across a large, diverse and predominantly rural region in the north and west of Scotland.

18 Aug 2022

Sustainable Roundworm Control - Getting the Message Across

In an ever-changing world, it is essential that individuals are able to access, and act upon, the most relevant information and advice, and no more so than in agriculture.

14 Dec 2021

Exploring the potential of spatially referenced data to support the evolution of land-based policy in Scotland

The way we manage land and plan land-use change plays an integral role in the efforts for meeting climatic targets and for mitigating and adapting to climate change impacts.

26 Mar 2021

What is the cost of soil erosion in Scotland?

Sustainable soil management is a key component of several Scottish Government policies, including the Land Use Strategy, the Climat

23 Feb 2021

Making Green Infrastructure Socially Inclusive: Principles and Challenges

Green Infrastructure consists of interconnected multifunctional green spaces and green features. Components of Green Infrastructure include parks, nature reserves, street trees, streams, sustainable urban drainage systems and green roofs.

16 Dec 2020

Integrated Pest Management: How widely have these management practices been adopted?

Arable crops like wheat and barley, are frequently under attack from diseases, weeds, insects and slugs. These lead to reductions in yield and affect the profitability of farms and the price of produce. To protect crops there is a heavy reliance on pesticides.

2 Dec 2020

CALEDON: Gamers creating resilient forests

The public are being asked to report sightings of 22 tree pests and diseases and newly emerging threats.

1 Dec 2020

Using Natural Capital Approaches to support sustainable land management in Scotland: Insights from five pilot studies

Natural capital approaches involve identifying, understanding, and measuring the relative contribution of nature to economic performance and human well-being. By adopting the language of business, natural capital approaches allow the natural environment to be included in discussions about business decisions.

16 Nov 2020

Assessing natural capital impacts and dependencies within upland farming systems

Natural capital underpins sustainability and refers to the stocks of natural resources, which include geology, soil, air, water, and all living things.

4 Nov 2020

Phase 2 Grouse Research - Socioeconomic and biodiversity impacts of driven grouse moors and the employment rights of gamekeepers

This ‘Phase 2’ Grouse Research addresses some of the knowledge gaps regarding Scottish driven grouse moor management that were identified during our ‘Phase 1’ Grouse Research as well as gaps identifie

30 Oct 2020

Antimicrobial resistance: bringing Scottish expertise together to find the solutions

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global, immediate and ongoing concern to human health.

18 May 2020

The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018: Evidence needs for improving outcomes for Scotland’s island communities

The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 introduced several measures to ensure that there is a sustained focus across the Scottish Government and the public sector to meet the needs of island communities, now and in future.

25 Feb 2020

Reflecting on Islands Revival and Introducing Research on the Edge

2019 was an important year for Scotland's islands, with the development of The National Islands Plan, an increased focus on repopulation, and concern abou

30 Jul 2019

Exploring the Gender Pay Gap in Rural Scotland

This scoping study explored the extent of the gender pay gap in rural Scotland, how it has changed over recent years, and potential reasons that might explain its extent and fluctuations over time.

19 Jul 2019

The Impact of Change on Rural Businesses

Through a series of Rural Business Surveys, our research is developing a better understanding of the characteristics, contributions and aspirations of rural businesses across the South and North-East of Scotland. 

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Blog

15 Oct 2024 - 09:53

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 - 15:47

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.

2 Oct 2024 - 17:57

Reflections on a visit to Glensaugh Climate-Positive Farming Initiative

Climate-positive farming is key to Scotland’s climate change adaptation and mitigation.

In this blog, Prof Lorna Dawson, Knowledge Broker for Environment, reflects on her visit to the Climate-Positive Farming Initiative at the James Hutton Institute's Glensaugh Farm.