Enterprise

If you're interested in the bioeconomy you can find a wealth of information on the European Network for Rural Development's (ENRD) Rural Bioeconomy Portal. ​

Do you know a small or medium-sized business in Scotland that deserves special recognition?

​The Scottish Rural Awards 2020 are now open for entries and nominations in a number of categories including a new category: Best Countryside Digital Innovator. The winner of this category will be crowned for successfully championing digital projects and products across the agricultural, rural and tourism sectors in Scotland. 

​The award categories are:

Scotland's Land & Economy

Join the Scottish Land Commission at their conference to look at the role of land reform in achieving Scotland's agenda for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Land ownership and use are central to increasing productivity, reducing inequalities, creating a fair and prosperous Scotland. The event will explore these themes through a number of key note speakers and panel discussions.

The conference will explore:

People gathered from across Moray and the Highlands recently for the launch of a new social crofting project.​

The sun shone for the launch of Gaining Ground on 27 June 2019 held at Glachbeg Croft, near Inverness.

The year-long pilot project is being run by the Scottish Crofting Federation and is supported by Moray LEADER and Highland LEADER.

SR Marine Conference, Exhibition & Dinner 2019

Scotland’s wave and tidal industries continue to push the boundaries of technology and project development, with devices and projects continually breaking records. Our global lead is clear; more wave and tidal devices have been deployed in Scotland’s Highlands and Islands than in the rest of the world combined.

With that comes not just centres of excellence, as in Orkney, but a dispersed set of benefits across our geographies: jobs created, vibrant academic centres and of course clean energy delivery. The continued lack of a viable route to market puts all of this in jeopardy.

Workforce Migration, Talent Attraction and the Future for Highlands and Islands

In partnership with Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, this EDAS event, will highlight issues around workforce availability and talent attraction in relation to the future of the Highlands and Islands.  This is an issue that is topping economic and political agendas. It is intensified by concerns raised by Highlands and Islands based business leaders who are challenged in attracting and retaining both senior level staff and lower level skilled personnel.

In this report, the Rural Youth Project tell us about an inspiring learning journey to the Netherlands.

The Rural Youth Project and Scottish Enterprise Urban/Rural Learning Journey was a collaboration to engage participants to “think different” regarding rural enterprise, sustainability and agriculture.

A new local food strategy for the Stirling area will be launched at a free event on 6 June.

The 'Alive with Local Food' strategy will be unveiled by Forth Valley & Lomond LEADER and Stirling Council at Stirling High School on Thursday 6 June 2019 at 4.30pm.

The strategy aims to support a vibrant local food economy, invest in people, build a resilient future for the sector and showcase the best of the local larder.

Scottish Land and Estates are now seeking nominations for the 2019 round of the Helping it Happen Awards.

Now into their third year, the awards are looking to build on past success and acknowledge the enormous contribution that rural businesses make to the Scottish economy.

An interactive map has been created to encourage community groups to think about how they can tap into the potential of the North Coast 500 tourist route.

The Scottish Land Commission funded an internship, to help support the North Highland Initiative's (NHI) next action to encourage community projects that will build on the increased numbers of visitors and interest in the North Coast 500 area.

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