Who we are?
SEFARI Gateway is Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Knowledge Exchange and Innovation. We provide bespoke access to the ENRA Portfolio’s research, expertise, and analysis to ensure scientific evidence helps inform the health, wealth and wellbeing of Scotland.
The ENRA Strategic Research Portfolio is funded by the Scottish Government’s Rural Environment Science and Analytical Service and addresses key mid to longer-term challenges for Scotland’s environment, agriculture, land use, food and rural communities. The Scottish Government is committing nearly £250 million over five years (2022-2027) on developing solutions to priority research and policy topics: climate change, land use, biodiversity, the rural economy, animal and plant disease, and water and flooding. There is also new funding for research on air quality, circular economy and land reform.
SEFARI stands for Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutions and is a consortium of six globally renowned research institutes (Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, The James Hutton Institute, Moredun Research Institute, The Rowett Institute, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scotland’s Rural College) who provide access to a wide network of scientific expertise and infrastructure. Collectively SEFARI, SEFARI Gateway, and in partnership with four other policy-facing Centres of Expertise (CREW, CXC, EPIC and PHC), deliver research and policy advice from the ENRA Strategic Research Portfolio.
How do we contribute to the A3 sector?
We are eager to build upon a previous SEFARI Gateway fellowship on defining the capacity and capability within Scotland’s A3 sector. The project supported Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) as well as that of the Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership Group (LSS ILG), in promoting the A3 sector within and external to Scotland. In particular, the fellowship, conducted by Dr Jenna Bowen (SRUC), aimed to increase the understanding of the A3 sector in Scotland, its capacities and capabilities and the national and international opportunities and challenges facing the sector. The project report included an inventory (up to date in 2021) of the breadth of expertise within the sector across academic institutes, companies, innovation centres, networks and consortiums, charities, government and development agencies, and business gateways and venture studios.
Other examples of our projects which have contributed to each of the 3As includes:
A SEFARI Gateway Special Advisory Group (formerly called ‘spark/think tank’) project on identifying research priorities for the use of agritech to improve productivity, efficiency and sustainability in beef and sheep livestock production systems in Scotland. The report highlighted the challenges and research priorities for the sector.
Innovation conducted for animal health and welfare, includes a research project which has looked at tail biting in pigs. The project aimed at developing a machine vision early warning system, using 3D cameras, which can predict the occurrence of the disease outbreak on commercial pig farms and the report offered recommendations for preventative measures. More recently, a SEFARI Gateway Innovative Knowledge Exchange project has developed a farmer-facing, free, online tool which helps with the interpretation of faecal egg count results for roundworms in sheep. While, a current SEFARI research project is investigating what practical on-farm solutions can be developed to achieve improvements in farm animal welfare within environmentally sustainable farming systems in Scotland and in tandem another SEFARI research project is investigating Influencing human behaviour to improve animal welfare.
SEFARI research has also contributed to the aquaculture sector, including a human nutrition study on the risk-benefit analysis of Scottish seaweeds as a sustainable food source. The project has been asking can Scottish seaweeds provide a safe, dietary-relevant source of micronutrients?
More examples of our projects, including others relevant to the A3 sector, can be found in our research repository. We also provide access to an extensive directory of expertise and can support establishing relevant connections.
How can you get in touch?
As part of our continued support of A3 Scotland, we are eager to discuss relevant research, meet partners and build new connections, as well as discuss potential new project ideas! SEFARI Gateway’s Director, Charles Bestwick notes “the AAA sector is a vibrant example of the of the breadth of global innovation in technologies and practice that is being created in Scotland and SEFARI Gateway is committed to supporting work between research industry and policy to strengthen innovation transfer”.
We like to meet people face to face to help with starting conversations, and you may have already met some of us at events this year such as the British Society of Animal Science conference, Arable Scotland, Royal Highland Show and/or GoFalkland. Therefore, and similar to other events, we will have a stand presence throughout the A3 conference, so please come and say hello and meet some of our team.
Equally, you can also email us at info@sefari.scot any time or follow us on X (#LeadingIdeas) and LinkedIn for any updates.
Written by Alöna Roitershtein and Michelle Wilson Chalmers (SEFARI Gateway).
