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Research
A multi-million pound programme of strategic research delivered over five years providing science and evidence to support policymakers and its partners. Informed by strong partnerships and the needs of a broad range of stakeholders. Science at the heart of society contributing to the health, wealth and wellbeing of Scotland and beyond.
Explore our research projects
This project contributes towards supporting Scotland’s dietary and climate targets though supply-chain-driven food and drink reformulation. This will be achieved through developing new supply chain networks for crops that can be sustainably produced in Scotland. We are developing innovative prototype products for multi-sector use, which we will widely disseminate to encourage wider adoption.
- Food & Drink Improvements
- 2022-2027
This project explores the macro land-use changes needed to achieve the challenging Scottish Government objectives of delivering NetZero and other environmental objectives. We assess how widely technical or behavioural changes can be applied and barriers to their success. This means reflecting with policy teams on the robustness of policy narratives and looking for opportunities to increase policy coherence.
- Land Use
- 2022-2027
This project identifies emerging research on natural capital metrics and values from across Scottish Government research in areas including greenspace, water, soils, and biodiversity. Remaining, priority, valuation gaps are being filled and natural capital risks and opportunities will be mapped.
- Natural Capital
- 2022-2027
This project uses mixed data and methods, including participatory and experimental approaches and community engagement, to create an advanced model of Scotland’s rural economy, and provides insights into how the benefits of plausible and aspirational economic scenarios could overlap with community- and place-based assets. It assesses progress towards a green recovery and just transition.
- Rural Economy
- 2022-2027
Changing policy, market and environmental conditions necessitate diversification in Scotland’s agricultural systems. This project identifies barriers to the adoption of novel crops and cropping systems, develop innovative technical solutions and explore the consequences of change amongst rural and wider society.
- Crop Improvement
- 2022-2027
This project answers some of the key questions related to the spread of zoonotic pathogens and will inform on transmission events of pathogens between livestock and humans (and vice versa). In addition, this project offers potential practical solutions to the increase in spread of vectors (ticks) and associated diseases. We are also developing and consolidating approaches quickly adaptable to the investigation of zoonotic outbreaks and/or newly emerging diseases as required.
- Animal Disease
- 2022-2027
This project is investigating the spread of tick-transmitted zoonotic pathogens to generate knowledge directly applicable to management of green spaces and wildlife. In particular, we are assessing potential practical solutions to the increase in spread of vectors (ticks) and associated diseases.
- Animal Disease
- 2022-2027
Crop production in Scotland faces many threats. Varieties that withstand the many challenges’ growers face are essential. We are using novel plant populations and tools that examine behaviour under complex stresses and plants’ genetic content to develop high quality resilient crops, reduce inputs and allow the Scottish population to locally source more fruit and vegetables.
- Crop Improvement
- 2022-2027
This project seeks to provide tools to rapidly identify chemical risks in foods and to contribute to improved consumer diets through reformulation to reduce harmful components such as sugars, fats, and salt.
- Food & Drink Improvements
- 2022-2027
We are measuring the Strontium (Sr) isotopes in Scottish soils to create a map (isoscape) to aid in determining the origins of conventionally grown crops. For crops grown in soilless, controlled environment units the link to location is however lost. We are therefore analysing the crops, waters and nutrients from such producers using isotope and chemical methods to see whether such an approach could be used for provenancing.
- Food & Drink Improvements
- 2022-2027