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.”

Soil Association Scotland senior farming programmes manager Colleen McCulloch said: “Soil Association Scotland is delighted to have been awarded KTIF funding to deliver ‘Planning for Change: A Whole Farm Approach’. The programme will highlight how Whole Farm Plans can be translated into integrated, sustainable practices and demonstrate how a whole farm approach - as featured in Scottish Government’s Vision for Agriculture - can help deliver on climate and nature goals. The Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF) will allow us to support farms and crofts across Scotland to share knowledge to build resilience, improve sustainability and restore nature.”

Scottish Crofting Federation chief executive, Donna Smith said: “The recently published “Value of Crofting” report has highlighted how important crofting is for the rural economy and communities, and its vital role in Scottish food production as a whole. We’re delighted to receive this funding to enable us to deliver peer-to-peer knowledge exchange activities for crofters. Our training programme is designed to support crofters as they navigate changes in agricultural support and find ways to adapt their practice to meet the climate and biodiversity emergencies, while retaining or indeed improving financial sustainability.”

Executive director of The Royal Countryside Fund, Keith Halstead, said: “Farming families and crofters are the beating heart of Scotland’s rural communities and The Royal Countryside Fund is committed to giving these families the practical support they need for their business to prosper and thrive. Over the last 8 years, we’ve seen the positive difference our Farm Resilience Programme has already made, in improving profitability, confidence and business skills and this new funding from the KTIF will allow us to expand our support across four new locations, reaching an additional 80-100 faming businesses. In the long term, we hope this will lead to a more resilient agriculture sector, reduced rural isolation, stronger community networks and greater financial viability among small-scale family farms in Scotland.

“I would strongly encourage any family farms or crofters who are looking at ways to make change to their business wish to join this programme to visit our website www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk for further information or contact Clemmie Addison-Atkinson on caddison-atkinson@countrysidefund.org.uk / 07484 532949.”

Andrew Smith, ABC Dairy Ltd. said: “The Isle of Bute is one of the forgotten gems of the Scottish dairy sector and has the farming talent, the quality of cows, and the grass growth to produce milk as sustainably as anywhere globally. As an island community, dairy fertility and youngstock rearing are two key management aspects that have been given limited attention in the past.

"The KTIF support is therefore very much welcomed to give Bute farmers access to leading technical input that can have a huge impact on the financial and environmental performance of dairy on the island. In turn, this project will provide key learnings for the benefit of the wider dairy and veterinary sectors across Scotland.”

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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.