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Orkney’s farmers are innovative, productive and central to the islands’ economy, but research activity has not always been shaped by local priorities. This project mapped current agricultural research in Orkney and worked with island stakeholders to identify knowledge gaps and future needs. It sets out a practical route towards a locally driven, place-based model of research that strengthens trust, improves uptake of new technologies and new opportunities, and ensures agricultural research delivers lasting impact for Orkney’s communities.

_{Main Image: Standing stones on Orkney. Photo credit: Professor Lee Innes.}

Flooding is becoming more frequent as rainfall intensifies, prompting growing interest in nature-based approaches that work with the landscape to slow, store and filter water. Temporary storage areas are small features that capture and temporarily hold runoff, typically in rural upper parts of a catchment, before slowly releasing it. However, there is limited evidence on how to design these measures so they perform reliably during large storm events. This research shows that reducing flood peaks requires new, distributed storage that remains empty between storms and is ready to hold runoff when it is at its highest. The Temporary Storage Area Design Optimiser Tool (TSA-DOT) helps tailor designs to local conditions, supporting more reliable nature-based flood storage.

_{Main Image: An example of an edge-of-field temporary storage area (TSA) intercepting and storing surface runoff and sediment from soil erosion at Tarland. Photo credit: Dr Martyn Roberts, The James Hutton Institute.}

A new guide has been published today (20 March) to help growers who want to explore the potential for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in rural and island locations.

CEA is the practice of growing crops in a controlled setting where factors like temperature, light, humidity, and nutrients can be carefully managed for optimal plant growth.

The guide is for existing growers looking to diversify their production systems, as well as for businesses, community groups, and small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with little or no horticultural experience.

It outlines options, technologies, market research, and practical considerations for businesses and organisations and includes four case studies.

The guide has been produced following a study commissioned by SEFARI Gateway (Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutions) on behalf of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Orkney Islands Council (OIC).

This study was carried out by Anna Sellars and Sterre Vester of SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), as a fellowship focused on identifying sustainable business models for CEA in the region.

A detailed report of the research recommends collaborative pilot projects as an effective way to test a range of CEA business models and gather robust evidence on feasibility, costs and market opportunities.

It highlights a number of challenges relating to CEA, including financial sustainability, the limitations of high-tech systems such as vertical farming, and the constraints of centralised supply chains.

It also identifies several promising opportunities for CEA development in the Highlands and Islands. These include lower-tech solutions, such as polytunnels or container farms, which offer a more accessible entry point for SMEs.

CEA also has the potential to support rural repopulation, contribute to a just transition and stimulate future‑facing skills and employment opportunities.

The report sets out a series of recommendations to address knowledge gaps, identify strategic opportunities, and make sure CEA development aligns with local needs, market conditions and sustainability goals.

These include further research into the economic feasibility of CEA and market demand for CEA-grown produce. Another is that HIE should embed community wealth building principles into its support for CEA.

A strategic approach to increasing feasibility and reducing risks is also advised. This would focus on topics such as financial support, energy optimisation, low-tech solutions, and collaborative trials.

Senior development manager at HIE Andrea McColl said:

“It’s clear that controlled environment agriculture offers new opportunities around food security, job creation, rural repopulation and the energy transition. We very much welcome this guide and report. They’ll be extremely valuable in shaping how we look at CEA and how best to support its development in the Highlands and Islands as a growing contribution to Scotland’s economy. We look forward to working with our partners on taking forward the recommendations.”

SEFARI Gateway director Charles Bestwick said:

“The report shows that Controlled Environment Agriculture encompasses a range of approaches that can, excitingly, fit across budgets and as a realistic option for community centred business.”

Wild & Flo is a vertical farming enterprise based in rural North Yorkshire. The business combines organic principles with self-built technology to create a scalable, energy-independent model tailored to underutilised rural spaces.

Vertegrow began as a commercial vertical farming operator located at Waterside Farm in Aberdeenshire. In partnership with Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS), the farm launched Scotland’s early vertical farm— deploying a single-tower, 300 m² controlled-environment system in 2020–21 to grow leafy greens, microgreens and herbs year-round with minimal energy use and rainwater harvesting. However, the venture has since shifted from food production to medicinal cannabis cultivation under the company Waterside Pharmaceuticals, founded by Martin Dickie, co-founder of BrewDog. In September 2024, Waterside Pharma obtained a Home Office Controlled Drugs Licence and in July 2025 began its first full crop harvest at the indoor vertical farm, producing starter material for medical cannabis products.

LettUs Grow is a Bristol-based B-Corp established in 2015 specialising in aeroponics technology.

The purpose of this guide is to outline options and considerations for businesses and organisations interested in developing controlled environment growing enterprises in the Highlands and Islands. It is intended for both existing growers looking to diversify their production systems and for businesses, community groups, SMEs, and enterprises with little or no background in horticulture. Drawing on existing horticultural resources and controlled environment agriculture technologies, this guide interprets and tailors the information specifically for the Highlands and Islands context, while signposting readers to more detailed resources where appropriate. It also incorporates insights from expert interviews to inform recommendations on energy supply, site selection, and potential routes to market. As such, this guide is designed to serve as a flexible reference, adaptable to the varying needs and knowledge levels of its readers.