The Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) is to set up three Focus Farms with funding from the Scottish Government worth around £300,000 over three years.
These farms will implement the steps outlined in the Farming for a Better Climate (FBC) programme.
There are five key FBC action areas to be investigated, such as using energy and fuels efficiently and developing renewable energy.
Other actions to be developed include locking carbon into the soil and vegetation, maximising the application of fertilisers and manures, and optimising livestock management and storage of waste.
The Focus Farms, representing a range of farm types across Scotland, will support knowledge transfer and practical application of FBC within the sector, including through events such as open days and meetings.
Climate change has become a key issue for Scottish agriculture, with the sector currently accounting for around 20% of Scotland’s carbon emissions. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act sets a mandatory target of at least an 80% cut in emissions by 2050.
Announcing the three-year project last night at the SAC Outlook Roadshow in Kelso, cabinet secretary, Richard Lochhead, said: “Asking every sector of the economy to make equal reductions is not feasible.
“It would be counter-productive to force farmers to reduce our own food production only to import the same amount of food from overseas.
“However, farming can and must play its part.
“I would urge farmers to look at the Farming for a Better Climate website, look out for the Focus Farms and think about positive changes they can incorporate to their own businesses.”
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