Agriculture support

Projects to increase farming skills, tackle environmental impacts and enhance competitiveness in food production will share more than £300,000 in newly-announced grant support. 

The Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF) supports projects that promote skills development or deliver improvements in business practice, resource efficiency, environmental performance and sustainability. 

The projects being supported include a skills development programme for staff working with livestock in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, a course to help crofters, and promoting learning about the benefits of calving intervals on the Isle of Bute.

Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said:

“This Fund supports the agriculture sector to realise the wealth of innovation and skills within it and find practical ways to share these on-farm improvements with the wider community. These seven projects will also help farmers and crofters access resources and develop skills in areas that build towards our targets to reach net zero and better manage resources.

“I extend my thanks to all who applied this year for their diverse and inspired proposals, and for their continued engagement with the scheme.”  

Background 

The successful projects are: 

Project 1: £27,450  ‘Data driven decisions in potatoes – improving financial and environmental performance (phase 3) Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SOAS).  This project seeks to improve the productivity and competitiveness of Scottish potato growers helping them become more productive and sustainable, while reducing their impact on the environment/biodiversity. This project will be located in Angus, Fife and East Lothian.

Project 2: £9,488   ‘Low Input Farm Business Performance Programme’ (Pasture for Life).  A skills development programme to support farm business staff improve their skills and knowledge in regenerative livestock systems. This project will be located across Scotland, and project events will take place within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park boundary.

Project 3: £30,353.59  ‘Crofting for the Future: Promoting Resilient and Sustainable Crofting’ (Scottish Crofting Federation).  A peer-to-peer, in-person and online course focusing on crofting skills. This project will be administered from Kyle of Lochalsh, and project events will take place in various locations throughout the crofting counties.

Project 4: £18,679 ‘Water resource management innovations for a changing climate’ (Scottish Potato Co-op) The project seeks to understand the irrigation practices of a group of potato growers and identify innovations that can support adaptation to a changing climate. This project will be located and delivered in the East of Scotland, mainly in Fife and Angus.

Project 5: £56,562 ‘Improved Ruminant Health in Action’ (ABC Dairy). The project will help to explain the positive impacts on financial and environmental performance of Calving Interval and Age at First Calving to farm businesses. This project will be located in the Isle of Bute.

Project 6: £136,315 ‘The Royal Countryside Fund (RCF) Farm Resilience Programme’ (The Royal Countryside Fund).  Aims to expand the Farm Resilience Programme to support an additional 80-100 harder to reach family farm businesses in four locations across Scotland. This project will be located across Scotland.

Project 7: £22,988 ‘Planning for Change: A Whole Farm Approach’ (Soil Association Scotland). This will highlight the value of a whole farm planning approach, promote its use and set clear objectives that make the most of available resources. This project will be located across Scotland.