Arable Futures is shaping up to be a hugely informative event, with the focus very much on inter-generational discussion as we look to the future for the sector. We’ll be considering the real challenges and opportunities, from across value chains, facing Scottish arable farming.
This one-day event, taking place on Tuesday 24th February, at the Crop Innovation Centre based at The James Hutton Institute’s Invergowrie campus, has been designed to provide practical insight, informed discussion and forward thinking for farm businesses planning for the year ahead. There will be three interactive sessions then the day will finish with a wide-ranging discussion, covering the topics that have arisen throughout the day.
Back to the future: a view from 2035
The day will open with an introductory session hosted by Adrian James, Cereals and Oilseeds Knowledge Exchange Manager, at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
He will travel forward in time to speak to an arable farmer of the future and learn about their farming experiences.
Our future farmer will join a discussion panel of present-day farmers and market specialists to assess what lies ahead, where genuine opportunities may emerge and which stumbling blocks may need to be overcome.
Natural Capital Futures
Next will be an interactive session, hosted by Antonia Boyce, Business Development Manager for Just Transition and Land Use at The James Hutton Institute, which will explore the concept of natural capital and how the risks and rewards of natural capital investment could realistically be shared across the supply chain, from farm to fork.
Participants will analyse natural capital assets commonly found on arable farms to determine who benefits from the assets, what role they should play in preserving and enhancing the asset and how they can be supported to carry out their role.
Future crops
After lunch, the focus will turn to future-facing crops and systems that farmers can begin exploring now to build resilience into their businesses. Professor Pietro Iannetta, agroecologist at the Hutton and secretary for the Scottish Society of Crop Research, will host provocative pitches examining the future potential of new crops through four case studies – flax, legumes, silvo-arable cropping and markets for novel crop products – to be followed by a facilitated discussion.
The conference will conclude with a discussion, hosted by Dr Ken Loades, of SEFARI Gateway, and facilitated by environmental commentator, Rob Yorke, about the key points emerging from the day.
Involving early career and established professionals in the arable sector, it aims to answer the question, “Which skills and knowledge are necessary to capitalise on emerging opportunities and strengthen the long-term resilience of the Scottish arable sector?”
Arable Futures is facilitated by The James Hutton Institute, in collaboration with the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), SRUC, SEFARI Gateway, and the Scottish Society for Crop Research (SSCR). It aims to provide an inclusive, non-judgemental safe space for open discussion about the future of Scottish arable farming, ensuring voices from across generations are heard.
