Environment, natural resources and agriculture strategic research

We provide around £50 million of funding each year towards a portfolio of strategic environment, natural resources and agriculture research, and are one of the largest funders of agri-environmental research in UK.

Introduction

The primary purpose of the funding is to provide science and evidence to support policymakers and delivery partners. In doing so, it also maintains long-term research programmes and science facilities which directly support Scotland’s academic research base and allows research institutes to leverage in additional funding from other UK and international funders.

You can see previous versions of this collection on the National Records of Scotland archive.

The previous Environment, Agriculture and Food Strategic Research Programme 2016 to 2022 has been summarised in end of programme reports below:

An evaluation into the impact from the Strategic Research Programme 2016-2022 was completed and reports are provided below:

Research programme 2022 to 2027

The 2022 to 2027 Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Strategic Research Programme (SRP) involves collaboration, co-ordination and networking across scientific disciplines.

There are five main themes of research, which in turn contain topics:

  • plant and animal health: animal disease, plant disease, animal welfare
  • sustainable food system and supply: crop improvement, livestock improvement, improving agricultural practice, food supply and security, food and drink improvement, diet and food safety
  • human impacts on the environment: climate change, agricultural greenhouse gases (GHGs), land use, circular economy and waste, large scale modelling, use of outdoors and greenspace
  • natural resources: air quality, water, soils, biodiversity, natural capital
  • rural futures: rural economy, rural communities, land reform

We published an evaluation report on the commissioning process for the 2022-27 Environmental, Natural Resources and Agriculture Research Programme.

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