EATS
Lead Research Organisation:
Scotland's Rural College
Department Name: Research
Abstract
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Organisations
| Description | On 13th March 2023, a co-design workshop, using creative practices to facilitate contributions from a range of voices involved in agri-food policy making was held in Edinburgh and online. SRUC hosted the hybrid policy lab which drew together key food and drink sector actors UK-wide, industry bodies, policy makers and government officials. It explored the policy landscape to discover shared interests in what a trusted infrastructure for transparent sustainability data would look like, and how it could be framed by (and operate within) the wider environmental, social and economic context. The policy lab was part of a collaborative EPSRC funded project called EATS (Enhanced Agri-food Transparent Sustainability, a research project developed together with the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee and Nottingham). The vision for EATS is to develop an actionable information (analysed data) ecosystem whose purpose is to deliver transparent sustainability. We are considering the role of sensors and carbon reporting tools in capturing data about agri-food processes; developing a trusted digital platform able to manage sustainability data and report it across supply chain actors; and utilising data-analytics and machine learning to support decision-making and action. Leading to decision making and actionable insights that promote environmental sustainability at supply chain scale. The session can be watched on demand at https://vimeo.com/818061159 and the final report by Rudman et al, 2023 can be found at https://zenodo.org/records/10806556 |
| Exploitation Route | It is envisaged that the outcomes of this funding will have multiple implications for multiple actors across the agri-food chain. Several key priorities were identified and taken forward as recommendations for policy and the agri-food industry: 1. Resource efficiency is often coupled with economic viability and wider environmental benefit 2. There is a need to define appropriate metrics before standardising a sectoral approach 3. There is a need to consolidate existing frameworks and guidance documents down the supply chain 4. A definition of sustainability, food safety and food security standards are required The group will come together again in 2024 with international colleagues to share further reflections on EATS progress by then and to discuss PESTLE factors' influence on the state of transparent sustainability in the food sector at that point. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Communities and Social Services/Policy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Environment Government Democracy and Justice |
| URL | https://zenodo.org/records/10806556 |
| Description | Findings to date from on-farm sensor data (from soft fruit polytunnels) are being used to inform and refine the develop of a Tier II UK specific horticultural module of the farm carbon calculator Agrecalc (www.agrecalc.com). Currently Agrecalc operates at IPCC Tier I level methodology for horticultural production, and it is expected that the EATS project will provide the high resolution temporal quantitative data from in-situ measurements within polytunnels that will allow the development of a Tier II/III model for providing a more accurate carbon intensity for UK soft fruit production. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | Organised a policy lab |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Dr Hannah Rudman and Dr Susannah Bolton organised and hosted a Policy Lab, held at Holyrood, Edinburgh on 13th March 2023. Food safety and security policy makers from Scottish and Whitehall governments and their arms length bodies attended. Professor Mel Woods and Stephanie Crowe presented the case studies developed so far. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVPleBgjE=/ |