Funding farming to help tackle climate change.
More than £7 million has been awarded to 517 rural businesses in
2023 from the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS).
Overall, £27m will be paid over the lifetime of the contracts to
applicants, to help support land management activities that will
benefit nature and mitigate against climate change.
Farmers can now apply for the 2024/25 AECS funding round, with an
expanded range of options to support biodiversity and climate
friendly farming activities and land management practices.
More than £4 million will also be made available to fund slurry
storage and irrigation lagoons in order to improve water quality
in rural areas. Farmers and land managers can now apply for
larger funding grants with an additional uplift available to
those based in Island communities. This will be the final year
that support will be available for slurry storage.
Rural Affairs Secretary said:
“AECS remains a key part of support to farmers, crofters, and
land managers in delivering nature restoration and addressing the
twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
“This year all eligible applications to AECS were approved which
is a record approval rate. This shows that despite significant
financial pressures, farmers and land managers still recognise
the very real need to mitigate against both nature loss and
climate change.
“I would strongly encourage farmers and crofters to apply for the
expanded range of options that the scheme now supports. This
approach will give farmers and land managers greater flexibility
when it comes to helping improve our landscape to mitigate
against nature loss.”
Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive of NatureScot
said:
“Scotland's farmers and crofters play a vital role in tackling
the nature-climate crisis. By successfully using their
knowledge and skills to farm in a nature-friendly way, they
ensure that their businesses are sustainable for the
future, both environmentally and economically.
"AECS funding is an important investment in sustainable farming
in Scotland, with about 20% of our land being managed for nature
and climate benefits under the scheme.
Supporting farmers and crofters to farm with nature has both
local and global impacts, including supporting wildlife, healthy
soils and clean water while helping Scotland meet national and
international targets to reduce biodiversity loss and tackle
climate change.”
Background
The Agri-Environment Climate
Scheme (AECS) was launched in 2015. The scheme helps to
promote land management practices which protect and enhance
Scotland’s natural heritage, improve water quality, manage flood
risk and mitigate and adapt to climate change. Some examples of
the activities that AECS supports include:
- Helping agricultural businesses convert to organic farming
practices
- Creation and maintenance of habitats for specific species
such as corncrakes, corn buntings and waders
- Improving habitat variety
- Creation and restoration of hedgerows
- Control of invasive non-native species
Funding for the slurry storage and irrigation lagoon options has
been underpinned by the Agricultural Transformation Fund (ATF).
