Future Farming Systems

World population has topped 7 billion and is set to reach 9 billion by 2050. Meeting the food demands of these people with diminishing means of supply, safely, ethically and equitably while improving the environment rather than adding to the burden of climate change is the greatest challenge agriculture has ever faced.

Future Farming Systems Group (FFSG) aims to be an internationally recognised interdisciplinary research team dedicated to understanding and facilitating the changes in farming systems needed to meet this challenge.

The FFSG incorporates SAC’s Dairy Research Centre, Hill and Mountain Research Centre, Beef Research Centre, Veterinary Epidemiology Unit and Carbon Management Centre all integrated within SAC’s wider Research, Consultancy and Learning Divisions. These centres conduct rigorous research within farming systems. Results can therefore be contextualised and their wider implications explored. This greatly facilitates knowledge exchange and hence response by farmers and other decision makers that is essential if agriculture is to fully address the challenge it faces.