Research programme including Covid scheme ‘contributed up to £680m to economy’
A research programme including Covid-19 analysis of wastewater has contributed up to £680 million to Scotland’s economy, according to a report.
The Scottish Government’s Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) Strategic Research Programme invested £279 million into agricultural and environmental scientific projects between 2016/17 and 2021/22.
As well as the Covid-19 wastewater scheme, which enabled the spread of the disease in the community to be monitored and reported, other key projects included research into coastal flooding and erosion and the reintroduction of hemp as an environmental crop.
The report, commissioned by the Scottish Government, estimated the programme benefits at between £470 million to £680 million based on monetising eight different types of impact.
These figures include the economic benefits of gross value added from jobs and spin-outs, income generated from intellectual property and the reduced impacts of animal diseases, specifically sheep scab.
The programme supported 354 staff in 2016/17, declining to 267 when it was extended for a year in 2021/22 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Over the six years the programme directly supported 1,891 jobs and the research indicates its wider impacts helped support 3,971 roles.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “The Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Strategic Research Programme has funded world-class research at Scotland’s SEFARI research institutes that addresses nationally relevant goals around protecting and sustaining Scotland’s environment.
“During the pandemic, the monitoring of Covid-19 in Scottish wastewater was a crucial part of the government’s emergency response – helping us to measure the spread and mutation of the virus and keep people safe.
“Research has addressed many other challenges including animal and plant health, regenerative farming, water quality, peatland restoration and land reform. Resulting science has helped to shape government policy and support innovation by Scottish producers and land managers.
Professor Mathew Williams, chief scientific adviser for environment, natural resources and agriculture, said: “Scotland continues to face the twin challenges of the climate and cost-of-living crises.
“In order to tackle them, we must continue to innovate and seek solutions that will improve our economic resilience and further protect our natural environment.
“The ENRA Strategic Research Programme is a crucial asset that has funded scientific study to support our efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change whilst helping to futureproof our rural economy.”