Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund - Agriculture support applications open

15th July 2025

Applications for up to £200,000 a year to build farming skills and improve biodiversity have opened.

Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie also confirmed that the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF) would consider requests for multi-year funding agreements, subject to budgetary confirmation each financial year.

The fund promotes skills development, improvements in business practice, resource efficiency, environmental performance and sustainability.

Previous projects supported include a skills development programme for staff working with livestock in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, a course to help crofters, and promoting learning about the benefits of calving intervals on the Isle of Bute.

Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said "Since this fund was launched in 2015 it has been supporting the agricultural industry to share really important skills and lessons learned across farming networks.

The KTIF is well placed to support tackling the climate emergency through restoring and preserving biodiversity and ecosystems, promoting resource efficiency, improving water and soil management, and preventing and controlling pollution.

"Working with farmers, crofters and land managers we want to do what we can to give them as much stability as possible, with multi-year applications allowing them to better plan for the future and help them try new ways to make farming and food production as sustainable as possible."