SWOT Conclusions and Recommendation
The SWOT, Conclusions and Recommendations sections of the SRUC report Rural and Agricultural Development: Maximising the potential in the islands of Orkney, Shetland and Outer Hebrides can be downloaded as a stand alone document from the link below. The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) was conducted at the end of the research phase, drawing on local expertise, policy insights and research data. The main report has a combined SWOT for all 3 island groups, but individual SWOTs for each island grouping are also available in the Report Annexes. A selection of the points raised in this section of the report includes:
The report concludes that long term policy proposals need to take more account of island-specific circumstances. The distribution of existing support funding already demonstrates how national-level policy has failed to halt declines in agricultural activity. Further avoidance in addressing such issues risks further excluding large numbers of land managers and large areas of land from support, with detrimental implications for local food production, environmental conditions and community vibrancy.
- The report recommends that urgent consideration be given to the treatment of smaller producers, common grazings and connectivity constraints. In addition, provisional lists of (especially) Tier 2 measures for predominantly rough grazing areas would benefit from further revision.
- More generally, links between the Rural Support Plan, the National Islands Plan and the forthcoming Rural Delivery Plan should be carefully and clearly articulated. This implies a need for closer engagement between different arms of central and local government, including agencies such as NatureScot and the Crofting Commission.
Strengths identified:
- Inter-generational tacit knowledge (so understand local context and nuances)
- High level of social capital (underpinning collaborative and community actions)
- Small scale production offers economies of scope (pluriactive businesses and households)
- Brand recognition for some products (e.g. cheese, black pudding, wool)
- High number of environmental designations (so national recognition of environmental value)
- Local Authority (LA) recognition of importance of local cultural and agricultural economy (so supportive of sector)
- National policy recognition of islands’ unique status (so account must be taken)
Weaknesses identified:
- Low local awareness of policy developments (so not preparing for change)
- Skills gaps (so lacking in understanding and confidence to prepare for change)
- Low profitability hinders investment (so low productivity and low capacity to change)
- Low rates of generational renewal (so longer-term management continuity uncertain)
- Thin local input markets (so supply constraints impose logistical issues and cost – esp. transport)
- Thin local output markets (so reliance on access to ‘export’ markets)
- Small-scale production has higher fixed overheads (so disproportionately affected by some costs)
- Declining use of common grazings (limiting draw-down of available public funding for ‘active crofting’ with many common grazings unregulated)
- Long term decline in occupiers engaged in agricultural activity (so reduced policy rationale)
- High levels of degraded peatlands with uncertain restoration route map (high LULUCF emissions)
The download link to this section of the report is found below, or you can return to the main report page here.