Main Research Providers
The Scottish Government Rural and Environment Research and Analysis Directorate (RERAD) funds a wide range of agricultural, biological and environmental research. The main programme of research amounts to approximately £45 million each year and is managed on behalf of the Scottish Government by RERAD. The research funded is mainly strategic and applied work; basic research, which forms a maximum of 10 per cent of the portfolio, is supported only where relevant to policy needs.
RERAD-funded research is conducted primarily through its Main Research Providers (MRPs). They also compete for funding from other sources in the public and private sectors. They are companies limited by guarantee governed by independently appointed Boards. Over 85 per cent of the research RERAD supports is conducted at its MRPs.
The MRPs are collaborating on a new initiative, knowledgescotland, to help deliver key outputs from the scientific community to policymakers in Scotland and beyond. The knowledgescotland website can be found at http://www.knowledgescotland.org/.
The main research providers are:
BioSS provides support and research on mathematics and statistics to the other Main Research Providers.
The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute carries out research to meet the needs of sustainable rural development and environmental management in Scotland and similar areas worldwide.
The Moredun Research Institute carries out research on diseases of livestock with a particular focus on small ruminants.
The Rowett Institute for Nutrition and Health carries out research on how nutrition can prevent disease, improve human and animal health and enhance the quality of food production in agriculture.
The role and status of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is distinct. It is a Non- Departmental Public Body and its functions are defined by the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985 including research, education, collections and public access. Its Trustees are appointed by Scottish Ministers. Support for its research and educational activities is provided as part of its grant-in-aid. Its mission is to explore and explain the world of plants. There are also three other specialised Gardens situated around Scotland, which provide a range of climatic and soil conditions, these are: Benmore; Dawyck and Logan Botanic Gardens.
SAC carries out research to meet the needs of the land based industries focusing on sustainable crop and livestock systems, animal health and welfare, economics, socio-economics and the environment. SAC is a company, limited by guarantee with a Board of Directors.
The Scottish Crop Research Institute is a major centre for research on agricultural, horticultural and industrial crops, in particular, potatoes, barley and soft fruit.