2023-24 Programme
Following on from the success of the 2022-23 programme, the Scottish Government set aside an indicative budget of £11.6m for CLLD in 2023/24.
The Outer Hebrides CLLD LAG was initially awarded £267,042.38 of revenue funding and subsequently accessed a further £94,900.00 of capital.
This has been allocated to the following activity:
Report Into the Role of Agriculture in Scottish Island Life Published
The Local Action Groups of the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland, along with the areas’ respective councils and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, recently commissioned Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) to research the potential impacts of upcoming changes to agricultural policy on the islands’ communities. A report entitled “Rural and Agricultural Development: Maximising the potential in the islands of Orkney, Shetland and Outer Hebrides” has now been published and the detail of the research welcomed by all involved.
The report confirms that in the three island groups agriculture accounts for a higher share of private businesses, turnover and employment per head of population compared to other areas in Scotland. It also highlights the cultural importance of crofting which goes far beyond economic benefits. The work, which was undertaken to coincide with the Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill progressing through the Scottish Government, found that, in their current form, future policy proposals present some risks for island economies, environments and communities. These potential risks are identified alongside strengths and opportunities for agriculture in the islands, such as the high number of areas that are designated as special habitats, the excellent quality and national and international reputation of local produce, and the environmentally sustainable practices in place for managing livestock.
It is hoped that the report will provide policy makers with the necessary detail to enable them to ensure future legislation suitably accounts for the islands’ unique situation. It further confirms the importance of CLLD in sustaining island communities and calls for a thorough Islands Community Impact Assessment (ICIA) to be undertaken on the combined effects of the different strands of future agricultural policy and its delivery, taking into account not only difference between island and mainland areas, but also between the three island authorities and within each area.
The research, which was led by Professor Steven Thomson from the SRUC, was funded through the Scottish Government’s Community Led Local Development Collaboration Fund, and draws on Scottish Government data, insights from farmers and crofters, and supply chain businesses, communities and stakeholders.
The full report as well as key statistics for each island group can be accessed on Rural Exchange - Island Agriculture.