The Galloway & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership, working with Propagate and NFU Scotland, has hosted the second annual Farming for the Future Conference in Cumnock on 27th November.
Again a sell-out event, the conference aimed to foster peer-to-peer knowledge exchange and explore how farming can be good for both the environment and the farm business.
‘Farming for the Future: Planning for Profit and Nature’ was chaired by Dumfriesshire farmer and former NFUS President Andrew McCornick and the programme of speakers included Cora Cooper (Sheep Farmer of the Year 2023), Denise Walton (Nature Friendly Farming Network), Nic Renison (Renison’s Farm), Colin Russell (Ramstane Farm), and others. On the agenda were a variety of presentations and discussion looking at the economics and practice of farming for nature, including a ‘speed round’ for people to share how they are farming and why, and break-out sessions on improving soil carbon and biodiversity.
The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership is a registered Scottish Charity (SC044137) supported by core funding from South of Scotland Enterprise and Dumfries & Galloway, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire Councils. Its work covers the 9,720km² UNESCO-designated region in delivery of collaborative projects targeted towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, among which are a range of initiatives supporting farmers and land managers. Earlier this year the Partnership completed a 12-month development project backed by UNESCO and the abrdn Charitable Foundation which produced a new audit methodology for measuring natural capital on farms; the organisation is also administering the Ayrshire Small Scale Tree Planting Programme for 2024/25 supporting the expansion of native woodlands. Ongoing initiatives such as the Biosphere Certification Mark accreditation scheme are likewise helping to widen engagement with agroecological ideas.
Antoine Lemaire, the GSA Biosphere’s Nature Recovery Officer, said: “It was a privilege to be hosting the farming conference again in 2024 after a successful launch in Newton Stewart last year. Demands on Scotland’s farmers are as high as ever and there are very few opportunities to gather in one place to share experiences and ideas. Our focus is how to balance profitability with nature-friendly practice and make peer-learning more accessible to all, and we were delighted to welcome so many who recognise the benefits of being part of this conversation.”
Abi Mordin, Co-Director of Propagate, said: “It was fantastic to build on the successes of our last conference by growing the event, the audience and the discussions. This ‘fully immersive learning experience’, as the conference was described by the Scotland Chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, included presentations on profitable organic cow-with-calf dairy systems, right through to deep dives on healthy soil biology. Feedback has been excellent so far with lots of attendees enjoying the pace and flow of the event as much as the content. We’re looking forward to growing our collaboration with the Biosphere and NFUS as we start thinking about our next event – watch this space!”
Mhairi Dawson, NFUS Regional Manager for D&G, said: “Our second conference was a huge success and it was great to see many new faces in the audience. Our speakers had such a broad range of size, scale, story and business types, there really was something for everyone. I think we all appreciated the acknowledgement was given to the human aspect of our agricultural businesses and how important knowing yourself and looking after your mental health was. My favourite quote of the day was from our NFUS Ayrshire member Cora Cooper who told us to never underestimate how much change one small step can make. So for me, the take away message is, ‘Start small, but do start.’ I’m excited to see where our third conference in 2025 takes us!”
More information about the GSA Biosphere Partnership is available at www.gsabiosphere.org.uk, For more information about this event or the support available for farming, land management and enterprise, please email [email protected].
