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

15. Question 4

Theme: Overall strategy

Question 4: Do you have any other comments or suggestions on any part of the strategy?

Introduction

Given the broad scope of question 4, the range of comments and suggestions provided by respondents was wide ranging. The majority (47, 67%) of all consultation respondents provided comment. The remainder (23, 33%) either said ‘No’ or ‘No comment’ or left this specific question unanswered.

How respondents have answered this question

Many respondents took the opportunity to raise points at question 4 that they had either mentioned at questions 1 to 3 and/or at questions 5 to 12. To minimise duplication, the EKOS team has reviewed the responses and used their judgement to determine the best place for the narrative to sit in the main consultation analyis report. The remainder of this section covers those points which are not highlighted in detail elsewhere in this report.

Theme 1: Sectoral-related comments and suggestions

This theme provides some examples of sectoral-related points raised by multiple respondents.

Agriculture and land use

Points raised under this sub-theme includes, for example:

• soil health – soil quality, lime grants, and the National Soils Archive were repeatedly highlighted as foundational priorities and continued engagement with dedicated data and evidence platforms like the Scotland soils website was also suggested. The crucial role of soil in terms of resilience, climate mitigation and adaptation was considered under-represented in the strategy
• organic agriculture and agroecological farming – there were calls for more research investment in organic systems, which were perceived to have been underfunded compared to conventional farming
• it was suggested that the land reform strand was too focused on community ownership, ‘which is only a small part of the land reform agenda’

Climate, environment and ecosystems

Points raised under this sub-theme includes, for example:

• carbon focus – the strategy could have a stronger emphasis on blue carbon, green carbon, and carbon capture and storage
• marine health – it would be important to ensure sufficient focus on nutrient loading, deoxygenation, and ocean acidification in Scottish waters
• landscape-scale planning – there were calls for ecosystem approaches, catchment-based land use, and integration with the Land Use Strategy and Nature Networks
• the current framing of circular economy research could go beyond a focus on waste reduction, resource efficiency and behavioural changes to include upstream design decisions such as food product and portfolio design choices that determine what ingredients are demanded and therefore grown
• biodiversity and fungi – there was recognition of fungi and mushrooms as under-researched but vital for sustainable food systems and ecosystem resilience

Food systems and industry linkages

Points raised under this sub-theme includes, for example:

• whisky and malting barley – a concern was raised that crop decisions must consider downstream industry impacts
• seafood and aquaculture – there were calls for recognition of seafood and aquaculture as part of Scotland’s food system and natural capital
• alternative proteins – mushrooms, vertical farming, and lab-grown proteins were all mentioned in responses
• it was suggested that there could be stronger cross-government collaboration to explore links between environment, food, and health
• it was noted that meat consumption did not feature in the list of ARIs though was considered a ‘hot topic’ for food systems

Culture and heritage

Points raised under this sub-theme includes, for example:

• Scots language and storytelling – these were suggested as tools for ecological engagement
• historic environment – there were calls to integrate cultural heritage, traditional building materials, and landscape character, access and learning into the strategy
• it was suggested the strategy could more strongly recognise that nature and culture are inherently interlinked in how we approach the environment and the use of natural resources
• the strategy could do more to take rural heritage issues and opportunities into account, while helping to deliver wider policy objectives for climate adaptation, nature restoration, economic growth, housing and wellbeing

Theme 2: Policy and governance

Respondents raised various points from a policy and governance perspective, including for example:

• public communications – there was considered scope to be better at scientific communication and engagement with ‘non-expert audiences to foster understanding, awareness and dialogue’
• the strategy could take into account the unique ‘structures and remit’ of each of the Centres of Expertise – it was considered important that the strategy and the operational decisions which will follow from it ‘take account of the distinct nature of these and the different structures across the Centres which, in turn, reflect their different remits and the requirements of different policy areas’
• each policy area, or each Challenge area, requires its own impact ‘hub’ to support the necessary level of engagement, which, if it is to be effective, has to have a sufficiently tightly defined policy focus

Theme 3: Impact

Wider comments and suggestions relating to impact includes:

• a perceived lack of recognition of academic impact – while the strategy highlights the role of stakeholder and policy engagement a concern raised was that it currently ‘undervalues the role of scientific outputs’, even though academic impact is both substantial and global – ‘the suggestion that academia is somehow separate from the ‘real world is misleading and risks alienating the research base’
• the need for a balanced impact framework that values both academic and applied contributions
• Scotland’s world-leading scientists should be supported to deliver research with international reach and impact, particularly where outcomes generate reciprocal benefits for Scotland’s agricultural sector