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Publication - Progress report

Independent Commission for Land-Based Learning - review and implementation plan: SG response - progress report

Published
17 June 2025
From
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, +1 more … Minister for Higher and Further Education
Directorate
Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate, +5 more … Children and Families Directorate, Education Reform Directorate, Environment and Forestry Directorate, Lifelong Learning and Skills Directorate, Marine Directorate
Topic
Economy, Education, Environment and climate change, +5 more … Equality and rights, Farming and rural, Marine and fisheries, Programme for Government, Work and skills
ISBN
9781836917090

Progress of the actions in response to all the recommendations from the Review of Land-Based Learning in the 12 months since the Scottish Government response report was published.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Recommendation 9:

For the new Agriculture Scotland Bill, as part of Tiers 3 and 4, to include provisions to enable support to fund upskilling/Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training for farmers and employees to support priority, quality non-legislative training towards a just transition to a green economy.

Outputs

The Agriculture and Rural Communities Act 2024 has now been brought into force and this includes provision to introduce CPD as part of an Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) by way of regulations. The Act also makes provision for support being provided for other knowledge exchange and transfer activities. The need for secondary legislation and further engagement with stakeholders is currently under consideration.

Preliminary analyses, following informal stakeholder consultation and research is now complete. The next stage is to refine and prioritise options.

We have also finalised and implemented a research fellowship from SEFARI (Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutions) that is due to report around November 2024.

Implementing Actions

Powers in Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act.

Consultation on secondary legislation for CPD regime.

CPD regime procurement and coming into operation.

Continuing to make progress with AKIS preparations following enactment of Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act, to be introduced from 2027 under Tier 4 of Agriculture Reform Programme.

Progress Update

We aim to have a CPD regime introduced in 2027.

Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act received Royal Assent in July 2024. CPD provisions were successfully enacted in Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024.

Evidence from informal consultation considered and further scoping work has been undertaken to help inform the development of the CPD regime.

Research though SEFARI to support the development of a Scottish AKIS was completed in December 2024.

Consultation on options for CPD regime to be developed and issued in 2025.

Secondary legislation on CPD regime to be developed.

Timescales

2024 – 2027 - expected to be met.

Milestones

Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act introduced in July 2024 – complete.

Consultation on secondary legislation for CPD 2025 - in progress.

Procurement of CPD 2026 - in progress.

Contact

Email: ruralpolicymailbox@gov.scot

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