Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture research strategy 2027-2032: consultation analysis

9. Question 7

Theme: Areas of research interest

Question 7: Do you agree that the key ARI questions are captured within the strategy?

Introduction

The vast majority (58, 83%) of consultation respondents answered question 7.

The majority of respondents agreed that the key ARI questions are broadly captured within the strategy

Theme 1: Positive feedback

The majority of respondents (all respondent types) who answered this question broadly agreed that the key ARI questions are captured within the strategy and welcomed the breadth of areas covered. Common feedback in these responses included that the key ARI questions were ‘sensible’, ‘extensive’, ‘comprehensive’ and ‘covered many important areas.’

Further, some of these respondents said that the key ARI questions aligned closely with the Scottish Government’s strategic missions and that there was a strong balance across sectors and priorities.

“The questions appear sufficiently broad and well-framed to capture the ambitions of the Missions.” Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board

“The range of ARIs is comprehensive and well aligned with Scotland’s environmental and agricultural priorities.” British Association for Shooting and Conservation

The same respondents typically said there were gaps or imbalances in the key ARI questions

Theme 2: Despite high levels of support, the majority of these respondents also identified gaps or imbalances in the key ARI questions

While the majority of respondents considered that the key ARI questions were wide-ranging and comprehensive, they also highlighted specific gaps or perceived imbalances. There was no single key issue rather, respondents identified a wide range of ideas and suggestions for how the key ARI questions could be further expanded or strengthened.

Points raised were often, but not exclusively, related to the individual’s or organisation’s own area of work or specific research interests/expertise. Points raised are considered in more detail below.

Social sciences and behaviour

Some respondents (Research Institutes, third sector organisations and individuals) considered that there was a lack of ARI questions relating to social sciences and human behaviour and suggested that this could be a cross-cutting theme. This was considered essential to addressing many relevant issues such as sustainable diets, land reform and nature restoration for example.

“…there is a noticeable gap in social science research questions. Many of the Challenges identified - such as promoting sustainable diets, enabling land reform, addressing mis/disinformation, enhancing rural community resilience, and supporting the uptake of regenerative practices - require insights into human behaviour, governance, and social change. These issues cannot be addressed effectively through natural science and technical research alone. The strategy should therefore include ARIs that explicitly call for contributions from disciplines such as sociology, political science, behavioural science, economics, geography, and law. Expanding the scope of ARIs in this way would strengthen the programme’s ability to generate evidence that is relevant, usable, and aligned with policy and societal needs.” Individual respondent

“Social sciences and behavioural insights must also be more visible. Without understanding what drives and enables farmer, consumer, and community behaviours, innovative practice will not be adopted at scale.” SRUC

Species conservation

Some respondents (mainly public bodies, third sector and other scientific organisations) noted that the biodiversity-related ARI questions focused on ecosystems. They highlighted that there was less emphasis on species conservation and recovery and suggested that more focus could be placed on this area.

“The word species does not appear in the strategy document at all and only appears in the ARIs 8 times, the majority relating to ‘problem species’, not species recovery. It must be recognised that species in Scotland have undergone historic declines which, on average, continue today, as signalled by the State of Nature in Scotland Report 2023 and referenced by First Minister John Swinney.” RSPB Centre for Conservation Science

“We think biodiversity does not get enough focus and when it is mentioned, it’s usually in the context of ecosystems and not in the context of species conservation. Halting and reversing biodiversity loss will require both.” NatureScot

Marine, coastal and river ecosystems

A small number of respondents (largely other stakeholders and other scientific organisations) noted that marine, coastal and river ecosystems were under-represented in the key ARI questions. These respondents suggested that there should be more focus placed on sustainable seafood systems, coastal erosion, and marine biodiversity.

“Marine and coastal ecosystems are underrepresented, especially regarding sustainable food systems, blue carbon, and coastal community resilience.” Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd

“Most key ARIs are captured, but seafood is notably absent. Suggested additions include: climate impacts on seafood safety, aquaculture genetics, valorisation of seafood by-products, and aquatic animal health in One Health.” Seafood Scotland

Skills, training and workforce development

A small number of respondents (third sector organisations and other stakeholders) highlighted a lack of focus on skills, training and workforce development in the key ARI questions. These respondents said there was a particular need for research on skills gaps in land-based industries, training for future job roles, and attracting and retaining young people in environmental and agricultural sectors.

“Lantra emphasises again that there is a worrying lack of focus on skills and training. The Commission for the Land-based Learning Review recommended that it is important to ‘Undertake research which identifies key transferable skills required across different job roles within the Sector’, which shows clear alignment with the aims of this strategy. Although to an extent work has been done on this, with our changing climate and skills system, it isn’t a process that is ever complete. Skills, training and workforce are mentioned in relation to flood risk management and food and drink industry, without making reference to any other land and nature-based industries. As mentioned previously, Lantra recommends that skills and training be suggested as a challenge in itself, with ARI questions spanning the land and nature-based industries. Lantra

“We want to highlight where we feel there is a gap between our organisational policy priorities and ENRA’s proposed ARIs. The main areas are: fair returns to primary producers, strategic supply chains, and addressing a lack of skilled and unskilled agricultural labour.” NFU Scotland

Other perceived gaps highlighted by a very small number of respondents included:

• historic environment – suggestions included consideration of the impact of climate change on historic sites and a greater focus on tourism and heritage skills

“The historic environment, as a core part of Scotland’s environment, should be a stronger theme across many of the ARI questions… including coastal erosion, land use, and behavioural research.” Historic Environment Scotland

• peatland and soils – suggestions included separating soils and peatlands into distinct ARIs

“The ARI ‘Protecting and restoring soils and peatland’ would be better split into two separate sections as soils and peatlands are different. Peatlands are a type of habitat, a valuable part of our natural landscape and playing a key role in climate change adaptation but it only relates to a single type of soil (peat soil).” NatureScot

• urban and peri-urban environment – there was considered to be a lack of focus on urban biodiversity and the urban environment more generally

“We fully support a strong focus on soils, in particular, the clearly identified challenges and ARI associated with soils. However, we note a lack of focus on urban soils including brownfield sites and an absence of soils explicitly associated with both the crop and biodiversity challenges.” Society for the Environment

• circular economy – it was suggested that there was too much focus on waste reduction and not enough emphasis on product and system design
• data and AI – there was felt to be a lack of recognition of new data and AI technologies, with a suggestion that this could be considered a cross-cutting theme

“Data infrastructure, AI, and machine learning should be recognised as cross-cutting enablers across ARIs. These tools are essential for handling the complexity of modern evidence needs.” SRUC

Some respondents said the breadth of key ARI questions may make prioritisation difficult and that it may also dilute funding focus and imapct

Theme 3: Respondents who feel the key ARI questions require more prioritisation

Some respondents expressed concern about the breadth and large number of key ARI questions and research topics. They felt that prioritisation was unclear and that a large number of key ARI questions could result in a dilution of funding focus and impact.

“In defining ARIs, we recommend following Sir Ian Boyd’s at the ENRA Science Policy Conference, that “big impact will not be achieved by asking small-scale questions”: while most of the 55 priority ARIs do have a route to impact, there are a very large number of nested, bulleted research questions, many of them curiosity driven, open-ended, and lacking urgency, ambition or a clear route to impact. These would benefit from being fewer in number and perhaps framed as a challenge and response.” Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

“While the strategy covers a broad range of ARIs, there is a risk that some of the most pressing or sector-specific questions could be lost in the sheer breadth of topics. The inclusion of ARIs on adaptive grazing, soil sustainability, and circular economy is positive and relevant to the sheep sector, but the list sometimes feels more like a catalogue than a set of clear priorities. There is little sense of which ARIs are genuinely urgent, or how trade-offs will be managed when resources are limited.” National Sheep Association

“They are all sensible, but I don't think there is information to know which are the most important and will make the biggest quantum of difference.” Individual respondent