That was the question UKATC Chairman, Dr Peter Quinn explored in front of an audience of Scottish ministers, MSPs and representatives of Scotland’s rural industry at the Scottish Parliament earlier this week. Peter writes: It was a privilege to speak in the heart of Scottish democracy about one of the defining challenges of our generation: how we feed a growing global population, while radically reducing emissions and restoring our ecosystems. I was invited to address MSPs and invited guests from across Scotland’s rural sector as part of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society’s 2025 Presidential Initiative which is highlighting the ways the ways that agriculture is supporting the environment as well as how Scotland’s research institutes and organisations are helping the country to reach its Net Zero targets. It aims to promote Scottish farming as a part of the solution rather than the problem. I also believe that Scotland has the science, the innovation infrastructure and the rooted farming traditions to lead the way. Let’s not sugarcoat the challenge: globally the population is projected to rise by 20% to nearly one billion by 2050. Here in the UK, we are looking at a 13% increase to around 77 million people. And the growth isn’t linear: by 2032, we’ll see a 9% global rise and 7.3% here in the UK. Meanwhile, agriculture uses 70% of the world’s freshwater, emits 25% of all greenhouse gases and occupies 44% of habitable land. In the UK 70% of our land is formed but we still import 40% of the food we eat. And crucially, Total Factor Productivity – a key measure of innovation and efficiency in farming – has dropped by over 5% in the UK over the past year. We’re falling behind key competitors. This is more than a climate emergency; it’s an economic and strategic opportunity to re-imagine how we produce food smarter, cleaner and more locally. The role of innovation Innovation is how we turn ambition into action. At the UK Agri-Tech Centre we’ve focused on three priorities. 1: better measurement, because if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it; 2: faster adoption of proven low emission technologies, from soil to stomach; and 3: maximising carbon removal without compromising food security. Let’s take livestock: ruminants produce nearly 90% of UK missions but we now have feeds, genetic tools and manual management systems that can reduce emissions dramatically by targeting methane production directly. In crops, fertiliser is the major emitter. Innovations like green ammonia, biological alternatives and better nitrogen use efficiency can shift the dial. And across the board, breakthroughs in data, senses and satellite-linked decision tools are making carbon-smart farming a reality. This isn’t science fiction, it’s science now, but to scale it we need investment, regulation and collaboration. Scotland’s innovation ecosystem Scotland is punching well above its weight when it comes to agricultural innovation. At the James Hutton Institute in Dundee, we’ve helped establish a world-leading controlled environment agriculture hub, a state-of-the-art facility for sustainable, tech-driven farming. On Loch Fyne, our Marine Aquaculture Innovation Centre (MAIC) supports cutting-edge R&D and fish health, feeds and environmental impact. Our mobile sensory laboratory takes advanced quality testing tools directly to farms, capturing real-world data that informs breeding market decisions. And through Scotland’s farm network and research partnerships we are proving that breakthrough science can be grounded in practical, on-farm realities. Take iLivestock, for example. It’s a Scottish agri-tech company we’ve supported throughout its growth. With investment from Scottish Enterprise and Kelvin Capital, they’ve tripled their workforce, increased monthly revenue tenfold and now export 78% of their product overseas. Their platform cuts CO₂ emissions by up to 30% by optimising nutrition and life-cycle management, validated by the University of Edinburgh. That’s Net Zero innovation: creating jobs, exports and measurable climate benefit. Policy opportunity But innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Scotland’s Net Zero 2045 target is bold. It’s national innovation strategy is ambitious. Now the task is to align policy with practice. That means enabling precision tech and smart data tools, investing in climate focused businesses and removing regulatory roadblocks that hold back sustainable progress. It means making sure that Scottish science can translate into Scottish solutions for our farmers, food system and future, and it includes exploring technologies like precision-breeding ,approached in a way that reflects our values, our world-class science and our need to stay globally competitive. Above all, it means putting farmers at the centre, not just as adopters but as co-creators of this transition. Scotland has the science, it has the innovators and it has the will. Through smart policy, bold investment and collaborative partnerships like those we’ve built across the UK Agri-Tech Centre network we can turn climate risk into economic opportunity. Because if we get this right, we won’t just hit Net Zero, we’ll build a food system that’s productive, profitable and sustainable for generations to come.
