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The research aims to evaluate the implementation and emergent outcomes of the AKIS measures identified in European member states’ CAP Strategic Plans (2023- 2027). Authors: Prof Lee-Ann Sutherland and Dr Katrin Prager.
What is CROPsim? Agricultural research is important in helping to address global challenges, from sustainable food production to biodiversity. Despite its importance, it can often be seen as complex and thereby inaccessible. To address this challenge, the researchers behind the CROPsim project asked; what if people could try being a farmer virtually, seeing and experiencing the results of different farming practices, instead of just reading about sustainable farming? Thus, at its core, CROPsim translates complex research findings into interactive experiences that anyone can enjoy. To do this
The aim of this fellowship was to identify current and potential market opportunities and describe the supply chain for hempseed and fibre in Scotland. Author: Dr Wisdom Dogbe.
Castration and tail docking of lambs are commonly performed management procedures in sheep farming. These interventions aim to prevent unwanted pregnancies caused by young rams that reach puberty, and to minimise risk of blowfly strike and maggot infestation of the breech, respectively. However, the procedures themselves cause pain and hence reduce sheep welfare. Welfare could be improved by moving to less painful methods of castration and tail-docking, or by a consideration if the management goals could be achieved without the use of the procedures at all. Future effort to reduce reliance on
On April 14th, 1935, the largest dust storm in American history occurred. A black cloud carrying 300,000 tons of topsoil from the Great Plains deposited dust as far away as New York. This day was the culmination of a perfect storm of events, ravaging millions of hectares of farmland. After the Civil War, a series of land acts incentivised pioneers to move west and take up farming. These acts generated a massive influx of new farmers to the Great Plains grasslands. Rising wheat prices encouraged farmers to plough up millions of acres of grasslands to capitalise on surging prices for wheat and
Genetic biodiversity is the fuel that drives crop improvement. However, in major cereal crops, while the traditional method of crop improvement has brought significant yield improvements over time, it has also resulted in a drastic loss of crop genetic biodiversity. As a result, many of our crops have lost resilience, becoming potentially vulnerable to a range of stresses, from environmental factors to disease. Continued loss of genetic diversity could severely affect crop yields and threaten the sustainability of economically and socially important end uses. So what’s the answer? Strategies
SEFARI Gateway is delighted to provide support for a Fellowship with Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS). We are seeking an individual researcher or small team of researchers to develop an approach that will allow ESS to undertake an assessment of alignment between Scotland’s and the EU or other international environmental standards and make recommendations on the consequences of regulatory alignment or its divergence. Background Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) is a non-ministerial office, established in 2021 to monitor public authorities’ compliance with, and the effectiveness of
SEFARI Gateway is delighted to offer a Fellowship in collaboration with Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Orkney Islands Council (OIC) to investigate business models for Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) in rural and island communities (in the Highlands and Islands). Background CEA is an umbrella term which encompasses a range of technologies and growing environments. This includes protected growing under structures such as polytunnels and glasshouses, and often includes smart technologies for monitoring and remote management of glasshouses right through to vertical farm
SEFARI Gateway is delighted to provide support for a new Fellowship in collaboration with the Community Landownership Academic Network (CLAN). We are seeking an individual researcher or small team of researchers to help inform the development of practical guidance which can be used by researchers (and those who supervise them), community organisations and other stakeholders to promote and encourage improved robust research practice in this area. Background Modern community landownership has only emerged over the past thirty years in Scotland, with its ‘mainstreaming’ only taking place
Methane is the prominent GHG from agriculture, accounting for 59% of agricultural emissions. Enteric methane, produced by ruminants as they digest feed, is the major source of these emissions. There are several options to reduce enteric methane emissions, some of which could deliver reductions in the short to medium term (e.g. dietary), and some of which are considered longer-term strategies (e.g., breeding). This report identifies the options for reducing methane emissions from beef, sheep, and dairy livestock sectors and provides clarity on current readiness levels and the potential of each