Scotland can be showcase for sustainable farming

We need to view Covid-19 as a catalyst for evolution of the agricultural sector

Even before Covid-19 and its disruption to all aspects of life, Scottish agriculture had been experiencing increasing pressures as a result of numerous different drivers.

Agricultural production has been made more difficult with the increasing delisting of pesticides and herbicides, including the neonicotinoids, the increasing prevalence of climate change extremes – often in one day – and changing consumer trends, including the rise of plant protein products and the demand for clean label food and drink.

This all sits alongside the challenges of Brexit and evolving national policies to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2045 and embed the circular economy concept into Scottish society and business.

Although debilitating, we must now view the Covid-19 crisis and its impact on the economy as a catalyst to allow Scottish agriculture to reshape and capture the opportunities arising.

National investment in the rural economy has been highlighted recently by the Tay Cities Deal, which will support the International Barley Hub, Advanced Plant Centre, and the Angus-based Centre for Agricultural Substantiable

Innovation. This is mirrored by other city and regional deals which have strong complementary agrifood and drink components whose capital investment projects will help to frame the future for Scottish agriculture and the food and drink sectors.

Furthermore, the Scottish, UK and EU green recovery initiatives offer support to deliver sustainable change and these ultimately target innovation and economic growth that deliver to net zero ambitions

Activities to deliver on the above ambitions include the exploitation of legumes for multiple uses including generation of livestock and aquaculture feed that will substitute for imported soybean. In fact, this shift to legumes is also being pursued for other beneficial reasons, such as intercropping to reduce need for fossil fuel-based fertiliser, and to feed the increasing demand for plant protein in the human food sector.

In fact, market analysis has identified the plant-based foods market grew 11% in the past year and 29% over two years. This, linked with Scotland being viewed as a land of value produce and a clean and managed environment, means it is well placed to satisfy demand for clean label (natural ingredient) foods.

Climate change projections from scientists at the James Hutton Institute on Scotland’s agricultural land capacity suggests that it may expand by 2050, offering further prospects for production.

These opportunities will find a home in a Scottish agricultural sector more attuned to diversifying the farm business portfolio, and we are already seeing the increasing use of technological developments such as drones, satellites and autonomous vehicles to improve productivity and efficiency whilst reducing waste.

This evolution of the sector, alongside the protection of the natural environment, should see it being viewed as a showcase for modern sustainable farming.