Seven projects in Scotland have received funding of more than £370,0000 under the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF).
The projects all aim at tackling climate change and enhancing competitiveness in agriculture and food production sectors, which is the overall aim of the KTIF.
They support knowledge transfer and learning, as well as innovative on-the-ground improvements in agricultural competitiveness, resource efficiency, environmental performance and sustainability.
In particular, funding for these projects focussed on maximising resource efficiency, cutting emissions and enhancing visibility.
Commenting on the projects, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “We have ambitious targets across the agricultural sector in terms of net zero goals, enabling the essential role of agriculture and addressing the need for food security.
“These are issues that affect us all and investment in these successful projects will contribute to meeting these targets.”
The projects
The seven chosen projects are as follows.
Data driven decisions in Potatoes
This project, facilitated by Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS), has been awarded £36,095.00.
It seeks to improve the productivity and competitiveness of Scottish ware growers. It aims to support potato growers to become more productive and sustainable, reducing their impact on the environment/biodiversity.
Trustable IoT
This project, facilitated by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), has been awarded £62,832.85.
It seeks to develop a set of open source standardised processes for IoT sensors and digital devices that measure and triangulate biodiversity baselines and improvements.
Reducing Inputs
Facilitated by Soil Association (Scotland), this project has been awarded £24,000.00.
It aims to inspire and inform farmers and growers to reduce their use of external inputs including synthetic nitrogen-based fertiliser, pesticides and herbicides; to reduce carbon footprints, tackle disease resistance, improve soil health and ecological performance, protect natural capital and boost financial resilience.
Decarbonising Scottish Malting Barley production
Facilitated by Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS), this project has been awarded £ 36,905.25.
Its primary aim is to raise the awareness and understanding amongst farmer producers of the emissions associated with producing malting barley.
Agroecology: Enabling the transition
This project, facilitated by Nourish Scotland, has been awarded £112,500.00.
It builds the previous project ‘Agroecology – facilitating mindset change’ and its design builds on the learning from that programme. It aims to widen and deepen understanding of agroecology specifically through a farmer to farmer/crofter to crofter cooperative learning programme.
Wader Friendly Farmers: Building a Stronger Network
Facilitated by Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), it was awarded £27,825.00.
Another knowledge transfer based project which will look to increase the number of farmers and landowners who are engaged with the Working for Waders Initiative, increase the area of land positively managed for waders and improve data collection from the projects.
Farm Carbon Storage Network
Facilitated by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), this was awarded £85,970.00.
It seeks to develop a representative farmer group that will estimate their farm carbon stock using soil testing and LiDAR surveys.
