Leading conservation organisation WWF Scotland has today launched a comprehensive plan aimed at transforming Scottish agriculture into a more nature-friendly and sustainable sector. This “roadmap” outlines strategies for funding the transition to environmentally conscious farming practices across Scotland.
The initiative comes at a crucial time when the agriculture sector faces increasing pressure to address climate change and biodiversity loss. This new plan is expected to provide farmers with guidance on how to adopt practices that benefit both the environment and their livelihoods.
WWF is urging that farmers be compensated for cultivating healthy food and revitalising natural ecosystems.
The organisation’s “roadmap” is backed by the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).
This initiative arises as farmers and crofters encounter unparalleled difficulties, with numerous individuals finding it hard to sustain their operations while also needing to adjust to climate change.
WWF Scotland’s latest report advocates for a collaborative effort from both the public and private sectors. It emphasises that the responsibility for this transition should not rest solely on farmers and crofters and that existing policies are inadequate for guiding Scottish agriculture towards net-zero emissions.
Enhancing the adoption of environmentally-friendly farming practices could lead to nearly a 40% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2017 levels, all while ensuring the productivity of Scottish agriculture, according to the report.
It also cautions that the current policy proposals aimed at cutting agricultural emissions only bring us just over halfway to our goal for Scotland to stay on course to achieve net-zero by 2045.
“New and ambitious agricultural policy must, therefore, provide stability to farmers seeking to take positive steps to decarbonise, reduce dependence on external inputs, and weave nature back into their farmland.”
WWF Scotland agriculture and land use policy manager Ruth Taylor said: “More sustainable farming and land management practices should be at the heart of any actions and decisions to address climate change and nature loss.
“But farmers and crofters understandably need assurance they will be fairly supported for transitioning to nature friendly practices.
“To provide this confidence, both the Scottish Government and financial institutions have a key role to play in providing adequate and sufficient finance to support the transition, and sharing risks.”
RBS Scotland board chairwoman Judith Cruickshank said: “We understand the value of the industry here in Scotland.
“That is why we have supported the development of this report.
“Royal Bank of Scotland is the biggest supporter of the sector here in Scotland and we already work with our customers in assisting them with their transition towards more regenerative operating methods.
“This includes working with brands such as Tesco and McCain to help encourage and drive such change.
In late 2022, major retailer Tesco partnered with the same conservation group to urge the UK government to implement mandatory food waste reporting for farms.
This latest ‘roadmap’ joins a broader European movement towards sustainable agriculture.
The European Commission, for instance, has been working on an EU-wide forest observation framework to provide “open access to detailed, accurate, regular and timely information on the condition and management of EU forests”.
This Scottish initiative represents a significant step towards reconciling agricultural productivity with environmental conservation, potentially serving as a model for other regions grappling with similar challenges.