With support from the SEFARI Gateway Responsive Opportunity Fund, Moredun Research Institute (MRI) and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) jointly organized and hosted an event in January 2020 for the Pig and Poultry industry which showcased new developments in animal health, welfare and nutrition.
Soil is fundamental to life on our planet. Soil can be thought of as our earth’s protective skin. It nourishes us with food, provides fresh air and water, allows a rich biodiversity to flourish, protects us from climate change impacts and also provides timber to be produced for building materials. It must be protected or we will perish. It is a vital resource - particularly in the communities that primarily live off the land, such as in our crofting communities.
Balanced diets are often talked about, but beyond eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, perhaps not everyone understands how diets can be balanced. Equally, sustainable diets are often referred to, and this phrase is becoming increasingly popular. However, what is a sustainable diet, and can a balanced diet also be a sustainable diet?
Many of us look forward to spring and at SEFARI we are no different. It’s the time our gardens start to come back to life and usually at this time we would also be sharing our knowledge and enthusiasm with families young and old at the Edinburgh Science Festival. We really enjoy developing and running a range of free to access activities hosted at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh during the festival each year.
2019 was an important year for Scotland's islands, with the development of The National Islands Plan, an increased focus on repopulation, and concern about the consequences of Brexit.
In recent years, sustainable diets are increasingly being promoted as a way to reduce the impact of human activities on the planet as well as to improve population health. Food consumption is responsible for up to 30% of the environmental impact of household consumption, and recently sustainability has been added to dietary goals in several countries (albeit not in the UK yet).
The following case study summarises work delivered as part of a recent SEFARI Fellowship with the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA). SEFARI Fellowships are bespoke opportunities co-constructed with key partners to deliver solutions to priority needs that also meet Scottish Government National Outcomes and aligned United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In this case, the CNPA wanted to review their strategic research priorities, with a view to refreshing their CNP Research Strategy.
Since the emergence of late blight (Phytophthora infestans) in the 1840s this disease has presented a major challenge to the potato industry, with annual losses estimated to be £55 million in the UK.
Scotland’s National Outcome’s include protecting and enhancing our natural environment, and reducing our global environmental impact, helping to deliver the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals including Goal 13 – Climate Action and Goal 15 – Life on Land. To help deliver these we need to understand Scotland’s biodiversity.