Skip to main content

Protecting soil quality, targeting nutrient use and maximising feed efficiency can all help to make best use of resources on the farm. Improving farm efficiency will help to strengthen the business, improve environmental performance and lead towards a lower carbon footprint. Research has shown that the farms with the lowest emissions are often those that are most technically efficient.

There are lots of small actions you can take to make a difference and help your farm thrive in a carbon-conscious future.  Actions will depend on each individual farm business.  There isn't one single approach that will suit all farms.  Adaptation Scotland suggests the following ideas for consideration:

  • Changing the timing of crop establishment and harvesting
  • Selecting different crop varieties - investigate drouth-resistant varieties
  • Investing in irrigation equipment and water storage facilities to allow for rainwater harvesting
  • Improving soil drainage and increase the use of soil conditioning equipment
  • Changing or adapting the farm enterprise mix
  • Changing the timing of lambing/calving/housing and turnout of livestock
  • Increase the provision of shelter for grazing livestock, this could include planting shelter belts
  • Invest in more robust, better-ventilated buildings
  • Increase the use of risk management techniques
  • Consider investigating greater crop rotation and maximise the use of field margins to encourage natural pest predators

How can we help?

  • Read through our website, we have over two hundred downloads, ranging from Practical Guides, Meeting Notes and Case Studies.
  • Have a look at the improve farm profitability section for ideas about how you can save time or money on routine tasks
  • Consider how you can improve business resilience in a changing climate
  • Find out what other farmers are doing. Take a look at the Farmer Case Studies
  • Sign up to our mailing list. The mailing list highlights any relevant funding opportunities, farm meetings, new practical guides and farmer case studies (note your email address is just used for the mailing list and we don’t pass data to third parties; you can unsubscribe at any time). You will also get the FFBC newsletter twice a year.
  • Follow us on Twitter  and Facebook

    • If you would like to put yourself forward or nominate someone else as a climate change case study, pass on details of a climate change event or highlight tips and hints for other farmers to share, please get in touch via the details below.